The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-10 00:00:00

ANNUAL INDEMNITY BILL.

Leave was given to bring in this Bill on the motion of Mr.
C. LEWIS.
The Bill was subsequently brought in.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Six o'clock.

ELECTION COMMITTEE.
ST. ALBAN'S.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
After hearing the arguments of Mr. Sergeant Wrangham
and Mr. Merewether, in opposition to the application of the
sitting Member's Counsel,
The Committee announced their resolution of applying
to the House for leave to adjourn the inquiry until Monday.
The Committee then rose, at three o'clock.

EXTENSION OF THE MUNICIPAL
CONSTITUENCY
On Monday a meeting of the inhabitants of Billings
gate Ward was held at Fellowship Hall, St. Mary-at
Hill, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
present defective and unsatisfactory state of the muni-
cipal constituency, and to adopt such measures as might
be expedient.
The meeting was called by a requisition of 35 of the
inhEkbitants addressed to the Alderman of the Ward.
The chair was taken by Mr. Alderman SIDNEY, M.P.,
who expressed great satisfaction at the opportunity of
beinz able to forward any measure which would tend to
enlarge the present limited roll of freemen electors, and
quite agreed with the wording of the requisition, that
the right of voting for aldermen and common councilmen
of London ought to be extended to all citizens paying
scot and bearing lot within the city of London.
Mr. MURRAY, the ward clerk, having read the requi-
sition,
Mr. BouseeeeD moved, " That the present roll of
freemen electors, within the city of London, is limited
and capricious, excluding many persons, who, by occu-
pancy and residence, should be entitled to vote for
municipal officers, and that in the opinion of this meet-
ing the Act of 12 and 13 Vic. (one to amend the 11th
Geo. I.), has tended to lessen the municipal constituency,
contrary to the avowed object of such Act, and that the
same, and the above recited Act, ought to be repealed."
Mr. BENJAMIN seconded the motion.
Mr. BOWER admitted, as the advocate of the rights of
the existing freemen of the City, that he could go a
reasonable way in support of this resolution for extend-
ing the roll of freemen; but he could not agree to any
one being permitted to come to reside in that
ward fur a short period, and thereby obtain all the
privileges of those who, by long residence and
the payment of fines, have become possessed
of the right of voting for municipal officers. It was
necessary to have a foundation for the corporation of
the city of London, and some kind of payment for that
purpose. There was another digkulty, which was, how
they should get the Government to give up their portion
of the fines.
The CHAIRMAN—They will give up theirs if you will
give up yours.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BOWER was sorry to say that the City had fre-
quently attempted to induce the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer to give up the flues, but they had never been
sueeessful.—(Bear, hear.) He concluded by moving an
amendment, which was in the spirit of the resolution, but
did not go quite to that extent as to granting the quali-
fication.
Mr. SANGSTER agreed on the necessity of extending
the roll of freemen, which he thought highly necessary
for various' reasons, but insisted on more qualification
than a residence of a year and a day within the City of
London. A misunderstanding had got abroad in respect
to this year and a day, for it did not in ancient times per
se constitute a freeman, but was the limited time within
which a man could take up his freedom of the City, and
thereby save himself from servitude. Mr. Sangster con-
cluded a very able speech by seconding the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN then put the amendment, which, was
lost, and the original motion was carried.
Mr. BESLEY moved a resolution to the affect "that
every person occupying premises in the city of London
for the period of a year and a day, paying scot and bear-
ing lot, is a citizen, and entitled to all the benefits and
privileges, and subject to all the duties thereof." He
took a broad view of the subject by saying that either
the corporation should have an Act to compel all
citizens whatever to take up their freedom, or repeal
the tax altogether, for at present it became an
act of necessity on the poor retailer, whilst the
wholesale man or the merchant evaded the payment. It
was asked by Mr. Bower how the present freemen were
to be indemnified, to which he would reply that they
had taken up their freedom as a trading speculation, and
they must put up with its consequences.—(Hear.) He
maintained, from history, that the municipal rights of a
citizen were anterior to the establishment of the city
companies, and, therefore, ought not to be curtailed by
these companies.
Mr. BOWER said, that persons could qualify at present
without belonging to any company.—(No, no.)
The CHAIRMAN signified that they could do so, but
they did not enjoy the whole of their privileges. He
thought those who had been thought worthy of being
appointed electors for Members of Parliament, should be
equally admitted to vote for the alderman and common
councilmen of the city of London.—(Applause.)
Mr. GRAVES bad great pleasure in seconding the re-
solution.
An amendment was proposed by Mr. SANGSTER, but
was not seconded.
Mr. SANGSTER quite dgreed in the movement for ex-
tending the freedom of the City, and was glad to see it
commenced in the ward of Billingsgate, which, according
to their chronicles, had always been forward in the cause of
freedom ; indeed it was to that ward the public was
first indebted for having reporters in the House of
Commons, so fearful were the citizens of their rights
being invaded by Parliament.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. FOSTER moved—" That wardmotes be held in
this ward, according to ancient usage, for the purpose of
enrolling such citizens as have obtained their right of
voting, and for other purposes."
Mr. Nrcesoesoer seconded the motion, which was
agreed to unanimously.
Mr. CARR moved—" That a petition, founded on the
above resolutions, addressed to the Aldermen and Com-
mon Council of the City of London, be prepared by the
ward clerk, and that it be entrusted to Mr. Alderman
Sidney for presentation."—(Applause.)
Mr. BESLEY seconded the motion, which was agreed
to unanimously.
After some observations from Mr. Foster, Mr. Con-
ston, Mr. Young, and others, a vote of thanks was passed
by acclamation to the worthy Alderman for presiding.
The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, hoped it could
not be thought by any gentleman present that he would
be a party to do anything which would tend to lower or
weaken the corporation, of which he was a member,
more particularly when ho saw a grasping Government
intent upon invading the privileges of the citizens of
Loudon.—(Great applause.) On the contrary, this ex-
tension of the suffrage would go to strengthen the Cor-
poration, and to the preservation of their municipal
rights. A large constituency on the basis now pro-
posed would give power to the citizens to withstand
any nefarious attempt on the part of Government,
which now only took advantage of their weak position.
As their constituency had been reduced from 50,000 to
6,ooo—(Hear)—so by this measure would it increase from
6,000 to 50,000, which was the number of municipal elec-
tors in the time of Charles ll.—(Cheers.) Ho should sup-
port the petition for the best of reasons, first, because it
would give satisfaction to the 10,000 or 11,000 non-
freemen, and, secondly, because such an extension of the
freedom would tend to strengthen the Corporation of the
city of London, in doing which they might say to even
a powerful Government, " Touch us if you dare."
The meeting then broke up.

LEEDS, TUESDAY.—On Saturday there was more done at
the Cloth Halls than has been the case for some time back,
but to-day the market has only been a quiet one. There
has been no alteration to notice in prices, and stocks do not
incroan.