The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-18 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON_ COUNCIL.

- -
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.
Yesterday a Court was held, the principal part of the
business of which was to take into consideration the
third reading of " A Bill for declaring the Qualification
of Freemen of London to be elected Members of the
Common Council."
The Court was numerously attended.
The bill, which was brought in by Mr. John Wood,
by the direction of the Court upon the report of the
General Purposes Committee, after repealing all tl,e de-
clarations, orders, resolutions, and ordinances of the 23d
November, 1710, and the 14th of June, 1716, and of the
whole of the interval between those dates and the pre-
sent time, enacts "that any freeman of London, being a
householder, and any freeman of London, though he may
dwell out of the City, shall be capable of being elected a
member, provided, at the time of such election, he is,
and for twelve months previously he shall have been the
occupier of a house, shop, counting-house, or office
situated within the ward for which he shall be so
elected ; and provided that he is, and for twelve months
previously he shall have been rated in his own name to
the consolidated rate in respect of any house, &c., within
such ward ; and also provided, that during the time of
his being so rated he shall have resided in such house,
or habitually resorted to such shop, counting-house, or
office for the purpose of carrying on any art, mystery,
trade, profession, or occupation therein.'
After the second reading of the bill, which occurred a
few days ago with closed doors, a Court of Aldermen
was held, in which a discussion took place, the public
being, as in the instance of the Court of Common Coun-
cil, excluded, and a resolution was unanimously passed
condemnatory of the measure, as an infringement of tha
laws of the Corporation.
Mr. JOHN WooD rose to move that the bill be read a
third time.

The LORD MAYOR—Before any further proceeding
with this bill, I call upon the Recorder to read to the
Court a communication which he has been ordered to
make by myself and my brother Aldermen.
Much dissatisfaction was expressed by Mr. WIRE and
several other members of the Court at what they con-
sidered to be an unfair interruption to the usual course
of proceeding in matters of corporate legislation.
The RECORDER proceeded to read the communication
referred to by the Lord Mayor, amidst frequent cries of
" No, no," and other evidence of dissent from the great
majority of the members. The Learned Gentleman
stated that the paper related to the bill which had been
just named, and the Court at length became tranquil and
listened to him.

The following is a copy of the communication :
" Carroll, Mayor.—An especial Court was held on
Wednesday, the 16th day of December, 1846, and in the
10th year of the reign of Victoria, of the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, &c.
" Resolved,—That after mature consideration of :all
the circumstances of the bill entitled A Bill to declare
the Qualification of Freemen of London to be elected
Members of the Court of Common Council,' the Lord
Mayor and Aldermen are of opinion that such bill is
contrary to the customs, charters, and laws of this City;
and they do hereby declare their dissent from the bill,
and from any further proceedings therein.
" Resolved,—That the Recorder be ordered to com-
municate the above resolution to the Court of Common
Council.

" MEREWETHER."
Here there was a loud and general call for Mr. Wood,
and several members cried out " Proceed with the bill."
Mr. WOOD rose with the bill in his hand, but
The RECORDER stepped forward, and said—The Lord
Mayor directs me to say that he cannot put the motion
for the third reading of the bill, and he cannot allow any
further proceeding with the measure, as he has already
concurred with his brother Aldermen in declaring that
it is against the customs, charters, and laws of the City.
Sir PETER LAURIE —I beg to say that I do not agree
with the Lord Mayor and my brother Aldermen in their
view of the question.—(Loud cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR-Sir Peter Laurie was not present
when the subject was discussed. All the Aldermen who
attended agreed in the propriety of the resolutions just
read.

Mr. JOHN WOOD—My Lord Mayor, I move that the
Lill be read a third time.—(Loud cheers.)
Sir PETER LAURIE—I second the motion.

The .Lcnn MAYOR—I cannot put the question.
Some of the members attributed to the Recorder the
course of opposition which it was obvious the Lord
Mayor intended to persevere in, and said that the Court
could proceed without the assistance of the Learned
Gentleman.

Deputy CORNEY submitted that the dissent of the
Court of Aldermen possibly proceeded from some techni-
cality, which a communication between the two courts
might have the effect of removing; and that, by a kindly
co-operation, the bill might be passed in a somewhat
altered form, to which no objection could be reasonably
started.—(A few cries of " Hear, hear," and over-
whelming shouts in the negative). In the absence of
the reasoning of the Aldermen upon the subject, a depu-
tation to that body might set the question at rest.—
(Loud cries of" No," and laughter). What was the use
of a bill which, when passed, might prove to be a nullity ?
—(General murmurs, and cries of " Move, move.") He
then moved that a deputation should be appointed to
confer with the Court of Aldermen upon the subject.
The amendment having been seconded, and
The RECORDER having risen to put the amendment,
Mr. ASHURST started up and charged the Learned
Gentleman with having always shown a readiness to ad-
vise the Court of Aldermen in matters opposed to the
views of the other branch of the Corporation. He knew
that the opposition of the Aldermen to the present bill
arose from their apprehension of another bill which they
were ass are would follow, and which would prevent them
from dipping their hands into the pockets of their fellow-
citizens.—(Loud cheers.)
The RECORDER indignantly disavowed all notion of
advising any course that was not calculated to render
service to both branches of the Corporation.
Mr. AsSIURST said he did not mean to give any per-
sonal offence to the Recorder, but the words he had just
used were substantially correct.
The REcoRDER said he had distinctly represented to
the Court the difficulties which, upon the perusal of the
bill, struck him as insurmountable. He had delivered
his opinion without reserve, and he considered it ex-
trt mely uncandid as well as unjust to attack a public
officer, whose duty and anxious study it was to do all in
his power to protect the privileges of every branch of
the Corporation.—(hear, hear, and murmurs.)
Mr. WIRE repeated the statement made by Mr.
Ashurst, and accused the Aldermen of having employed
a professional man to assist them in riding over the
rights of the citizens, and in asserting a power which
they did not possess.
Mr. ANDERTON cautioned the Lord Mayor against the
alternative of vacating his seat before the decision of the
Court should take place. If his Lordship pursued that
course the Court would doubtless imitate the conduct of
the Common Council of 1645, when the Lord Mayor
having refused to put a motion at their request, they
went direct with a petition to the House of Commons,
complaining of the contempt, and they there recaived
the warmest assurances of support, and the warmest
commendations upon their independence.—(Cheers.) •
Mr. LAWRENCE said that the very manner in which
the Court of Aldermen had made the communication was
as offensive as words could make it.—(llear.)
Mr. R. L. JONES condemned the course taken by the
Court of Aldermen, whom he accused of neglect of their
duties in not attending the committee in the progress of
their labours.

Alderman WiLsox said, it appeared from the language
used by the Court, that they considered the Aldermen
had objected without reason to the bill, which was by no
means the fact. They were opposed to it from the
commencement, but they waited till they had an oppor-
tunity of examining the words in which it was framed.
They had taken counsel's opinion as to whether they
could be consenting parties to such a measure, and they
were told that it was in direct opposition to the usages
and customs by which the Corporation was governed.
Here the amendment was put, and after great confu-
sion and noise, there was a cry of " Divide."
Mr. WIRE and several other members begged that the
Court would not divide, and intimated that a manceuvre
was intended by which they might be betrayed into an
error.

Alderman SIDNEY said no man more respected the
privileges of the Corporation than he did, and therefore
he opposed the bill. The power assumed by the Court
of Common Council could only be exercised by the Le-
gislature itself.
Sir P. LAURIE said he heartily supported the bill,
and he was prepared to support the bill which was to
follow.—(Cheers.)
After some observations from other members,

Mr. CORNEY cried out, " Why, my Lord, there is no
Court."

Here the utmost confusion prevailed. The Aldermen
had, one by one, slipped away unperceived, until the
Lord Msvor was left but with one of his brethren (Sir
P. Laurie] on the bench, and the presence of three Alder-
men is necessary to ecnstitute a Court.
It was stated by some that there was an alderman in
the adjoining room, and the Lord Mayor was requested
to send the mace bearer to compel the attendance of that
gentleman. His Lordship declined to do so, and said
that he could not stultify himself by putting a question
which he and his brethren considered to be of a nature
calculated to interfere fatally with the privileges of the
Corporation and the rights of their fellow.eitizens. His
Lordship then left the court.

'I'BE SWELL-MOB IN TIIE PROVINCES.—The ap-
prehension of Shaw and Wood, two members of the
swell-mob, for the robbery of the Half-moon Inn, in
Gateshead, has elicited communications from the pro-
prietors of ions in various parts of the country, detailing
losses of a character exactly similar to that experienced
by Miss Murray, and identifying the prisoners by their
description, as parties who were suspected at the time,
but whose adroitness saved them from punishment. Mr.
11. Baldock, landlord of the Hand and Sceptre Inn,
Tunbridge %Veils, has written to Gateshead, stating that
two men, corresponding in appearance with the prisoners,
robbed his house in September last of 157/. Wood's
wife, who was remanded on a charge of being concerned
in robbing the George and Angel Inn, at Stamford, has
been discharged, her connexion with the affair being of
the same doubtful character as at Gateshead.

BANK OF ENGLAND.—Yesterday,a quarterly
general court of the proprietors of this corporation was
held at the Bank of England, pursuant to the terms of
the charter. There were but few of the proprietors pre-
sent, as it was not generally believed that any discussion
would take place. At twelve o'clock, the Governor,
the Deputy-Governor, and a majority of the Court of
Directors entered the audience roetn; and the secretary,
by the direction of the Governor, read the minutes of the
last general court. It was resolved that the minutes
read, in which are contained votes of thanks to the past
Governor, the Deputy-Governor, &e., fur the able man-
ner in which they had exercised the duties of their
various offices, should be fully confirmed. No other
business having been brought forward, the Court ad-
journed.