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

ri( I
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1841

if he differed from any one upon an essential point—say
if they'differed upon religious liberty—if he had twenty
hands he' Would' hold every one up against that man—
(Loud cheers)— so again if the question uporrwhich they
differed was that of the freedom of a Briton. Now, in
his opinion, the Corn-law question was one which had
become of equal importatico—(Loud cheering)—for
if they did not maintain the animal frame, liberty would
be of but little use.—(Great cheering.). He acknowledged
that his opinions had undergone a change upon the question,
but 'so had the times and circumstances of the country.
He would like to See 'Written up in every place of elec-
tion, the advice to the elector to ask himself, "is the
man whom I am going to vote for fit to represent my
opinions—if he throws obstacles in the way of providing
food for the poor, he must misrepresent me." Each elector
ought to put the questiati to himself. He recollected a
story of a brewer being introduced to a clergyman,
and the friend who -did so, solicited the clergy-
man's custom for his friend, saying, he was a
very good and gracibus man; but, said the clergyman, is
he a very good and gracious brewer ?—(Laughter.) So
ought they all to ask themselves of the candidate before
voting, as to his fitness to represent-them upon a great
and vital question as the Corn-laws had now become.
Mr. PROCTOR said, Mr. Wells had been very abusive of
some of his late colleagues for guzzling, as he called it.
Now, he wished to ask Mr. Wells, whether he ever knew
one of them to descend from his position as Common
Councilman, and ask a servant of the Lord Mayor for an
invitation to dinner.—(Laughter.)
. . _ _

Mr. WELLS had expected the question, and was glad
it had been asked. He had been frequently asked by
the late Lord Mayor to dinner, but he had never gone.
One day, while he was sitting in one of the writing-
rooms, the swordbearer passed through, and jocularly
charged him with neglecting them, in never dining at
the Mansion-house. He (Mr. Wells), in the same strain,
said he was never invited now. The answer was, "It is
no use—you never come." To which, he said, " Try
me ;" and that was the"whole affair.—(Laughter.)
Mr. SEELEY agreed with Sir James Williams in the
principles he had laid down, but not in their application.
His deliberate opinion was that, when corn here was
scarce and high, we should •have a low duty, and when
we had plenty and the prices low, the duty should be
higher and go to the revenue. He was of opinion that a
sliding-scale was for the good of the country, provided
the averages were fairly taken.—(Cries of " No, no,"
and hissing.) He did not' see the necessity of
turning away many of their friencli, who had served them
for from 10 to 15 years, merely because they could not
agree with them upon a question which divided the whole
country.
Mr. Wool) was one who never would exact a pledge
except when a great principle was at stake. The ques-
tion they were now discussing was a great principle, for
it was no less than should this country maintain the
point of supremacy she had now arrived at, or should
they lose that proud position and maintain the
Corn-laws?—(Loud cheers.) Considering the question
of so much importance, it of course became a matter of
importance to consider whether the gentleman, who re-
presented him in the Common Council—who represented
that which was necessary for his business—nay, for the
very existence of his family—actually held his, or oppos-
ing, opinions upon that question ; and if the latter, al-
though he had frequently dined with them, and they
were very good friends, he would feel' bound to oppose
them, for he could not afford to give up a great public
principle.—(Cheers.)
After some other speeches, kor which we cannot find
space at present, a show of hands took place, which was
declared to be in favour of the following gentlemen :
viz., Messrs. Taylor, Woollat, Redford, Barnard, Stone,
Gresham, Obbard, Burn, Edkins, Ramshaw. Charles,
Anderton, Pierce, Loudon, Prendergast, and Williams.
There were twenty-one candidates, of whom six were
new—viz., Messrs. Stokes, Stone, Pierce, Loudon, Pren-
dergast, and Williams. A poll was demanded, on behalf
of the candidates excluded by the show of hands, which
is to close on Thursday. at two o'clock.
CORNHILL WARD.

Yesterday, at half-past ten o'clock, a Wardmote of
the above ward was held in the Vestry-room of St.
Michael, Cornhill, for the purpose of electing Common
Councilmen and other officers for the year ensuing.
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor presiding as
Alderman of the ward.

Messrs. Angel, Harrison, Eaton, Johnson, Thomas,
and Harris, the latter two having been elected in the
room of Messrs. Hornett and Israel resigned, were
elected as Common Councilmen.

The Inquest-men and other officers having been
chosen, a vote of thanks was voted to the Right Hon.
the Lord Mayor, and the Wardmote separated.

WALBROOK WARD.

Yesterday at 12 o'clock, a Wardmote for the above
ward was held at the School-house, No. 16, Walbrook,
for the purpose of electing Common Councilmen and
other officers, for the year ensuing ; Michael Gibbs, Esq.,
Alderman of the ward, presiding.
The names of those who were candidates for the last
year, were then read, and Mr. Amos resigned. The fol-
lowing are the names :—Mr. Thomas Watson (Deputy),
Mr. Hall, Mr. D. W. Wire, Mr. Condor, and Mr. Win.
Dawson. Mr. Josiah Colman and Mr. Thomas Rowley
presented themselves to fill the vacancy, and a poll was
uemanded, which will continue open until Thursday.
The Inquest-men and other officers were then elected,
and the wardmote adjourned.

TOWER WARD.

•No opposition.
BILLINGSGATE WARD.
No opposition.

BRIDGE WARD.

No opposition.
WARD OF PORTSOKEN
At a Wardmote held yesterday, before the Wor-
shipful T. Johnson, Esq., Alderman of the above Ward,
the following gentlemen were elected Common Coun-
cilmen :
HoundsditchPrecinct T. Rayne Liberal.
High-street Do. .....Cl. Nicholson Do.
Bar Do. C. Brown Do.
Tower-hill Do. S. Hall Do.
Savage-garden Do. Moses Levy Do.
BISHOPSGATE WARD.
At twelve o'clock yesterday a Wardmote was held at
the School-rooms, in Peter-street, Bishopstrate, to elect
Common Councilmen and other ward officers, for the
year ensuing.
Alderman COPELAND presided, and briefly addressed
the meeting, and proceeded to the business of the day,
stating, that as the election of Common Councilmen was
the all-engrossing matter, he should proceed with the
election of the other officers first in order to insure at-
tention.
This having been done, the list of persons nominated
by the different precincts was then read, as follows :
Messrs. Richard Howell, T. Rodgers, T. Welch, Richard
Thomas, Solomon Bennett, C. Gibson, W. H. Pilcher,
M. E. Wilkinson, Thomas Tan, Wm. Jones, Wm.
Stevens (Deputy), W. A. Peacock (Deputy), IL Patten,
William Barker.
Mr. Wm. Day resigned.
Mr. Johnson, who formerly served the office for four
years, and resigned in 1839, was duly nominated and
seconded.
Mr. Elisha was also proposed and seconded.
Mr. T. Hall was likewise proposed and seconded.
After a few words relative to the presumed curtailment
of allowances to freemen's widows, which Mr. Stevens
negatived, the candidates were called upon to address
the meeting previous to the show of hands.
The respective candidates addressed the meeting,
Mr. Deputy STEVENS said, that during the time he had
been in the Common Council, which was near about 20
years, he had always voted in favour of every Liberal
question.—(Hear, hear.) He had opposed many extra-
ordinary measures, but he did not know that there was
ever one brought before the public of greater importance
than the question of the bread-tax.--(Loud cries of
Hear.") He had been in the habit of collecting a deal
of that tax, and knew a little of the proceedings of the
gentlemen at the Corn market, and he was able to say,
that a more shaMeful system of gambling did not exist
in any place.—k Hear.) It was monstrous that the staff of
life should be subject to those gentlemen who bore
down the averages just as it suited their pockets. For
months past Ship loads of corn had come to this coun-
try, which was now lodged in warehouses under the
Queen's lock, because of those laws.—(Hear.) Such a
state of things could not last, but he assured them that he
would do his utmost in the Common Council to get rid
of those laws by which the supply of food was restricted.
Mr. Was. JONES said that he would give his utmost
support in favour of a motion in the Common Council
for the repeal of the Corn-laws.—(Applause.)
Messrs. Pilcher, Patten, and Tagg, gave similar pledges.
Mr. GmsoN, a Tory, said that he did not sufficiently
understand the question of the Corn-laws, but it should
,have his serious consideration.—(Laughter.)
Mr. WELCH, another Tory, also-said that the question
should be considered by him ; and
Mr. RODGER, also a Tory, stated that he would sup-
port a proposition for a moderate fixed duty, with a
view to the ultimate repeal of the Corn-laws.—(Cheers.)
Messrs. Carr, Thomas, and Barker, promised to give
all their opposition to the Corn-laws.
Mr. WILKINSON said that for many years he had been
opposed to the Corn-laws, but his opinions were now
more strongly in favour of their repeal.—(Cheers.)
After a number of other ct adulates had spoken, the
show of hands was taken for the candidates, when Messrs.
Peacock and Stevens (Deputies), Wilkinson, Howell,
Tagg, Patten, Jones, Thomas, Gibson, Bennett, Filcher,
Barker, Johnson, and Hall, were declared by the Chair-
man elected. A poll was then demanded for Messrs.
Rodgers, Welsh, and Mattheson, which was granted.
The Chairman appointed the poll to take place from
four to five o'clock, and on the two following days.
ALDG ATE WARD.
The election of Common Council nen and other officers
of the above ward commenced yesterday in the auction-
room of Messrs. Wheeler, Leadenhall-street.
The chair was taken by John Humphery, Esq., Al-
derman of the ward, at twelve o'clock.
The precept for the election having been read, the
CISAIRNAN said that they had met to perform one of the
ancient privileges of the City, that of electing eight gen-
tlemen, inhabitants of the ward, to fill the offices of Com-
mon Councilmen. One gentleman, Mr. Wheeler, who
had been elected last St. Thomas's Day, had retired, and
it was now the duty of the wardinote to elect another to
fill up the vacancy, and also such others to represent the
ward in the Court of Common Council as they should
think fit.
Mr. BLISSETT proposed Mr. Robinson as a proper
person to fill the vacancy in the representation of the
ward, and said that he (Mr. Robinson) would be found
to possess such principles as, in their exercise, would be
greatly beneficial not only to the ward, but to the City
generally. The nomination having been seconded,
Mr. J. Jerome, of Fenchureh-buildings, was pro-
posed by Mr. Lawrence and seconded by Mr. Dodd.
The latter gentleman said that Mr. Jerome being a man
of property, would have plenty of time to attend to the
interests of the ward; besides he was a gentleman who
was favourable to free trade, and g decided opponent of
the Corn-laws.

The names of the gentlemen who served the office of
Common Councilman for the last year, and also the two
new candidates, having been put to the vote, Mr. Robin-
son was declared to have lost by a show of hands. A
poll was then demanded, which commenced at two o'clock,
and closed for the first day at four, when the numbers
were declared to be as follows:—
Mr. Edward Fisher ... 11 Mr. J. F. Salter

Mr. Benjamin Massey 10 Mr. J. Lake
Mr. W. Simpson ll Mr. J. Jerome
Mr. R. B. Whiteside.. 12 Mr. E. Robinson

Mr. W. Green (Deputy) 13
The poll will be re- opened at one o'clock this day, and
close at four ; open again at one o'clock to-morrow, and
finally close at four.

THE WEATHER—NOON, DECEMBER 21.
ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET.
Thermometer... 31 Highest 32 t Lowest 26
Barometer 29.61.—Wind S.W.—Freezing Point 22 Deg.