The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-29 00:00:00

ELECT-W.2s' OF LORD MAYOR.
(T lIS DAY.)
, The election of this high civic officer has been for the
(~it lour years a matter of great interest in the City, and
'.lot that routine species of proceeding which it was
heretofore. That interest has been occasioned in con-
4rnuenee of the unexampled rejection of the claims of
Alderman Wood to the civic chair. The arrival of
another Michaelmas-day has again put the citizens of
London„ on the alert, and the neighbourhood of the
Guildhall was the scene of bustle and confusion from an
earl
, hour. The walls of the Guildhall presented
eeee
r-ending but still beginning decoration of bills,
baling upon the Livery to vote for Wood for Lord
tarl°r, and a general impression seemed to prevail that
uY justice would be done to Alderman Wood, and
that •
ledge,Lis claims to the civic chair, would be acknowe
I'6
doors of the Guildhall were opened at twelve
tti-e°ei.". At this hour there was but a small number of
hall ''''very in attendance, but before one o'clock the
was crowded to suffocation.
th:uortly after the opening of the hall the Lord Mayor,
etnew' Sheriffs and several members of the Court of
rtnen met in the Council Chamber, and proceeded
tn ,te thence to- St. Lawrence Church, where an excel-
t d
sermon was preached by the chaplain of the Lord
ea,,Y(1.,. At the conclusion of the service, at half- past
the procession return( d to the Hall, and the Lord
lifer and Aldermen having taken their seats at the
thr end, the usual proclamation having been made.
The RECORDER came forward and said that the Livery
whwere this day come ned to exercise the highest privilege
tw,ich they possessed, namely, the election of the chief
tougistrate of this ancient city. To be au alderman and
have served the office of sheriff constituted the legal
cl4:tlification and the mode of election which the
serit`,4c of London and the constitution of the city pre-
thcd, was, the assembled Livery should nominate two iag:,atestr duly qualified, to the Court of Aldermen, and
effiet Court should choose one of them to fill the
The ,
of Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.
the !'arnea of those gentlemen who had not yet attained
ottlei"le dignity would be first presented to the notice
eet e
ob Lavery, but it was his duty to explain that it was
tot atory on them to elect those gentlemen in
te,;`tinn, and that their choice of nomination was free
1)3, unfettered.—(Cheers.) Their discretion was limited
tto'lc other consideration than an honest zeal to promote
ale Public service.—(Cheers, and loud cries of derision.)
ofth at persuaded they would enter upon the discharge
1/. important duties and this high trust, with a full
to Ileac. that they were called upon, in fidelity
their fellow-citizens on this occasion to elect a
t, th'tlernan in every way qualified to sustain
(cehylignity of the chief magistrate of this great city.—
of ears, and derisive laughter.) The popular character
th our institutions had mainly sustained them in
th' Shocks to which they had been exposed, but
lib'et which was retained to them in preserving their
;kties was the judgment, the discretion, and honesty'
elit"eir public bodies, to whom such important fran-
pt 'ea were entrusted.—(Cheers.) On the importance
hetbcir present duties he would not further touch.
nt,,, nomination was for their decision, and then pre-
to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen would withdraw
tivlueir chamber, and would leave the choice of the
ZrY free and unfettered.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Itead stated to them the rights and privileges which
t'h" njoyed, not deceiving them in any degree as
tet e'r extent and character.—(Cheers and laughter.)
hell branch of the constitution in this city had separate
Pee" and functions, and to the discharge of that im-
qltit duty which the Livery was this day assembled
Ple:161 he would now leave them, with the single
,reritc, rnendation that they would preserve the high
spits" and honour which had hitherto distinguished them
N.
Ofeischarge.—(Cheers, mingled with some loud ones
44111 ironical character.)
tt tir; Alderman Woon then came forward to the front
lilt,: Platform, and was received with the most deafen-
44Vering. Silence having been restored, the worthy
here'taan said—Gentlemen of the Livery, I am
1.04g4in before you in my accustomed rotation
kt teive that support which, on previous years,
lihairen rendered me, and which I trust I
tight not on this occasion look for in vain. If there is
itpe, In the past years to notice it is, perhaps, the
hiel,l()na exertions which I have myself made—exertions
to -" have been met by the greatest kindness
Y°lll' exertions which have been con-
tied part,
1;4 a Without an atom of ill-feeling to any
trti-t my brother Aldermen.—(Cheers) Gentlemen,
lot.„'t that while there is nothing iu my conduct to call
Of cPrehension, I have exhibited at no time any feeling
Iltit,r'tnity to others, at the same time that I have en-
d to preserve and maintain that feeling of re-
that' which is due to myself.—(Cheers.) I know
tile no popular magistrate can be of much
fid unless he lives in the esteem and con-
htot te of the people. To that confidence I ap-
t 4 i'hts I have done from time to time. It has sustained
that the day of persecution—it has enabled me to dis-
the a my magisterial duties, I hope, with advantage to
:
gitriie and honour to myself, and it now sustains me
It end hour, when I again solicit your further confidence.
ate-T.44a me to ask for that return of kindness which
theo-cver heretofore been refused me.—(Cheers.) Gen-
,kett:4, have been so long before you, and the subject-
e,`„r ,(-4 my address is so well known to you all, that
leattiali'd little become me to trouble you with a
teleened statement now, or to deprive you
opportunity of your going immediately
""nine,,
elation. I, therefore, leave it in your hands, and
~l t4tl,lser position you may be pleased to place me in;
,Nee.l.lollld I be defeated, I will respectfully bow to your
fiti-'(:)13, although I trust (judging from past experience)
ill lace me in the position from which I have so
ktll4g, been excluded. Gentlemen, I thank you for the
Ittuiess with which you have heard me.
k"'•e. JAMES WILKINSON next addressed the liverymen.
t(„suid, that the Recorder had already Informea them
It'ne business which they had on that day to do, and
ktitf4r. Wilkinson) hoped that they would act honestly
le, fearlessly on that occasion.—(Hear, hear.) He had
I,44that during the last three elections for the office of
;4)4 Mayor what he ever considered the perpetra-
-10 tecl a great injustice.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
tit"Le first place, if therwould allow him to tell them so,
he "'kin •life • ken to Alderman Wood, and
never in his spoken
It
eeOPo
ke not conicious that Mr. Alderman Wood had
sn to him; all his acquaintance with him having
from occasionally hearing him in his capacity
of t'hPublic magistrate, and he thought the gentlemen
1,4114 ! Livery would be of the same opinion with him,
410 'll that capacity no one could find fault with the
like44lAlderman.—(Cheers.) He believed the Livery,
Et himself, detested hypocrisy and trick.—(Cheers.)
411.4,hrnen prided themselves on fair play, and they
tide
„,'t as a maxim that all persons should be on-
ttet.r' innocent until they were discovered to be guilty.
qtet-eZe etted to see that of late years that good rule had
hthe laid aside.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. W.) had come
eri,,,nat day to express his sentiments on the matter.
itt-°1 himself served the Livery faithfully. or the
had four years he bad audited their accounts, and he
kin; Hover taken a pennyworth of victuals from them,
tet°',:gh 4001. had been voted for the purpose of eating
h4rinking. He was determined to countenance no
the rtgy or trick ; and if charges were brought against
le,oi'ortey• Alderman let them be proved, and then it
thet,-(l,he me to condemn him.—(Cheers.) He thanked
the; 'or the attention they had given him, and he trusted
qwould that day do their duty by returning Mr.
Tirnati Wood as their chief magistrate.
1°14,4' COMM his
ON SERGEANT then stated that it was
ter're, to declare the names of the several gentlemen who
e
candidates for the office of Lord Mayor of this
ektett City of London. These were—Messrs. Alder-
"-homes Wood, Sir George Carroll, Sir J. Duke,
liectnbe Musgrove, Hunter, Sidney, and Moon.
• beeho of hands was then made, and an immense
tY ~„' was held up in favour of Alderman Thomas
,ikv("m„ while immense cheers were given in his
4144.4' The names of the several other members of
ttq-'olert of Aldermen were then severally put to the
t,eAe and were greeted with marks of the most ex-
e'klen't opprobrium, those of Sir G. Carrol and Mr.
44 ?kiln Hughes being treated with peculiar marks of
'ttlleiProval. At the close of the proposition of the se-
Aldermen, the Common Sergeant declared the
Alcje'it of the Livery to have fallen on Thomas Wood,
Alderman and framework knitter, and on Sir G. Carrol,
,4ieb„inattn and spectacle maker, when the same.expres-
Qtti;of favour in behalf of the former, and of disappro-
IttatCf the latter, with still more vehement demon-
t,ek were renewed.
eke v°,l, was then demanded on behalf of Mr. Alderman
ttlttT.,WznE came forward, and said—Gentlemen, I am
1116., to say, on the part of Mr. Alderman Hooper,
he is no party to demanding a poll on the present
exaat ion.
41;11% ANDERTON said that he had demanded a poll on
gt„," Part of Mr. Alderman Hooper, for the purpose of
de,tng the Livery an opportunity of showing whether they
IWircd the election of Alderman Wood or not. Ile had
Lien twice returned to the Court of Aldermen by the
46,4erY, for election to the office of Lord Mayor, and
Ny, by that Court been twice rejected. lie was
elewered to say that the Court of Aldermen had de-
41ed that, in the event of the poll proving in favour of
t tZrulan Wood, that they had no objection to elect him
kew'ke dignity of Lord Mayor. The Alderman would
,shlid,:ave an opportunity of proving by this.nran.s the
of his character, and of retaining his position in the
ttlirPeration of London. There was now a means for
114 testing the feelings of the Livery, for there was
by nat': Opportunity of making their election. If they
taLetr votes returned Alderman Wood, if they thus
,•(.1.-Alaed a wish for that purpose, they would see him
"Ora }'or. He would then take up his right position
Corporation and in society, and this was the
ken why he had demanded a poll on behalf of Alder-
411noper.
,Ilßittr• Alderman WOOD re-entered the hall, and was
of received with loud cheers. He said, since I have
O It,c hall I understand that a poll has been demanded
n,„• "ttlf of one of the gentlemen in rotation, and
k'ene„,-"cee perfectly unauthorised on his part. I
dell known
that course has been adopted because it is
`ere) nowt' that I never anticipated it, and am, there-
`d°) „at the present moment quite unprepared to meet
Onie ; result. lam not prepared with the varied ma-
'lTe4„-Y,requisite to enable a person to go to e.t poll
4,,ee e,IIY, neither have I had time, nor did I think it
doteee,'",erY• But, although thus taken by surprise, lam
Eithe-r"ltned to place myself entirely in your hands, and
ceren,„stand a contest or retire, according to your clis-
-Leedo"• It was not my wish thus to disturb the city of
wag ne and cause a large expenditure, which
igtih not at all called for by any of the ex-
the circumstances. I do not claim to myself
the ~I.'ght to complain of the conduct of
eetir's'llt,leman who has thought proper to pursue that
rece! out I do say that I have a right to complain that
bein eieed
no previous notice of such a thing as a poll
g 4etaanded. had I any idea that would be done,