The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-29 00:00:00

LONDON CORPORATION REFO.RAL

MEETING OF THE LIVERY.
A public meeting of the Livery of the City of London
was held yesterday in the Guildhall, to receive the
report of a committee appointed in April last to consi-
der the provisions of Sir George Grey's bill for the re-
form of the Corporation of the City of London—the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor in the chair. Considering
the importance of the question, the attendance was very
small, the hall not being near a quarter full during
the proceedings. The notice profusely posted around the
hall, providing against confusion arising from " the con-
gregation of large numbers at Common Hall meet
ings," and to allow those in office to take their places
with sufficient ease and decorum, were superfluous, and
were a burlesque on the day's proceedings.
On the platform were Alderman Sir J. Duke, Bart.,
M.P., Alderman Cubitt, M.P., Alderman Wire, Alder-
man Hale, Alderman Farncombe, the sheriffs and under
sheriffs, &c.
The LORD MA.YOR said he had called the meeting in
compliance with a requisition he had received, nume-
rously signed by liverymen. He bad no knowledge of
the resolutions to be passed, but from the names given
him he believed they would be such as would entitle
them to their favourable consideration.
The Crier of the Court then read the following report
of the committee :
" To the Livery of London, in Common Hall assembled,
eerpreetditoionnto
the
1 5 "We,
April, y Sour committee,
to
complete
andho m i t
presentwas
the House of Commons, as agreed to at the great meet-
ing in Common Hall, in opposition to the bill
then in Parliament, entitled A bill for the Better
Regulation of the Corporation of the City of London,' and
to take such steps as might be considered desirable to op-
pose the second reading of the same ; beg to report—
" That we lost no time in carrying out the wishes of the
Common Hall, and met from time to time to effect the de-
sired object.
" That the petition was signed by 2,130 liverymen.
" The Committee consulted with the Remembrancer as
to the presentation of the petition, as also with the Hon.
George Waldegrave (secretary to the Speaker), who advised
that it should be presented by a member of the house rather
than by the bheriffs, as proposed, seeing that one had been
already presented by the sheriffs from another part of the
corporation.

"That we wrote to the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, request-
ing he would be pleased to present the petition to the
House of Commons, which he kindly consented to
do. That we attended from time to time
at the house when the bill was expected to be read a second
time, and having had an interview with Mr. Disraeli, he
requested the petition might be sent to him, when he would
take the best opportunity of presenting it.
" That the right hon. member presented the same on the
13th June, and moved that it be read at the table of the
house ; that it was so read and ordered to be printed with
the votes of the house.
" That on tho 26th June Sir G. Grey stated in the house
that in consequence of the objections raised to some parts
of the bill, time would not permit the Government to
proceed with it this i
sesSon and gave notice therefore of his
intention to withdraw the, sand brin iu another bill
early in the ensuing sessionme a g
" We have thus given a statement of our proceedings and
the successful remit of our labours, which we trust will
meet the full approval of this Court or Common Hall ;
and we congratulate the Court that this attempt to inter-
fere with the rights and privileges of the Livery has proved
abortive, as we trust that similar attempts will ever do.
Wm Cubitt, chairman. G. Richardson.
Thomas Q. Finnis. Joseph Causton.
Geo. Scamell. Wm. A. Rose.
Thomas Snelling. Thomas Lott.
James Josiah Millard. Ewd. Eagleton.
Thu. Stewart. James Clarke Lawrence.
Rob. Davison. J. Hartley Kennedy.
Richd. Grant. William Lawrence.
C. Reed. P. C. Toker.
Wm. Otho Mitchell. Chas. Young.
Benjn. Rider. Warren S. Hall,
John Greenwood. , John Finlay, Hon. Sec.
" 28th Oct., 1856."
The following resolutions were then agreed to :
" That this Common Hall approves of the proceedings,
and adopts the report of the Committee of Liverymen now
read.

"That whilst the Livery are determined to maintain
their ancient rights and privileges, which they believe to
be necessary for preserving the independence of the City of
London and the usefulness and dignity of the Corporation,
they aro desirous to assist the other branches of the Cor-
poration in their endeavour to effect any necessary reforms,
and are anxious to strengthen that harmony between the
Livery and the Executive requisite for the well being of
the city
•

" Tllat a committee be formed for the furtherance of the
objects of the foregoing resolution, and also to watch the
progress of any bill which may be brought into Parlia-
ment affecting the Corporation, and to take such
measures on these subjects as they may deem
expedient. That the said committee consist of not,
more than two liverymen appointed by each livery com-
pany, over which the Lord Mayor be requested to preside,
and that all necessary expenses be borne by the Corpora-
tion and paid by the Chamberlain."
Resolutions were also agreed to thanking the commit-
tee for their labour, and the Lord Mayor for calling the
meeting.
The meeting then separated.

THE MIILIDER AT DOVER.—Yeaterday Frances Wal-
lace was examined before the magistrates at Dover,
charge I with the murder of her illegitimate child. The
facts of the case have already appeared in The SUN,
She WAS fully committed for trial for wilful murder.

R. J. King, J. M. Still, J. J. Moss, F. F. Goodwin, S. J.
Arnold, James Robinson, Mr. Mozley, the Rev. J. Jamie-
son,,Mr. Depledge, Mr: 33-elo8,1kc;-,-kc.
The dinner comprised not only every delicacy, but con-
siderable novelty, inasmuch as the speeches commenced
when the dinner had been but half consumed. This, how-
ever, by giving time to the guests, enabled them more fully
to appreciate the feast of reason and the flow of soul. The
music performed during the entertainment was excellent,
and the Railway Polka, commencing with the railway
bell, succeeded by the starting whistle, and proceeding to
the furioso movement of rapid combination, was truly
electrical. •

The first oration was delivered by the PRUSSIAN MINI-
STER, who said that the junction of the two railways could
not but tend to the increased prosperity of both ,countries,
and proposed " The health of the King:of Holland." In
eply, the NETHERLANDS FOREIGN MINISTER proposed
" The health of the King of Prussia."

The MINISTER of the HOME DEPARTMENT, in an elo-
quent speech, proposed the happy alliance of Prussia, Hol-
land, and England, and stated that it was mainly owing
to the perseverance of English talent and capital that they
were that day met to celebrate the junction of the two
countries by railway communication.
Mr. FABER VAN RIEMSDYK spoke in energetic terms
on the perseverance of the shareholders, who had that day
completed all that they had undertaken to perform, and
hiving paid a compliment to the memory of the late Mr.
Donkor Cutting, President of the Direction, proposed suc-
cess to both Companies.
The PRESIDENT of the Cologne and Minden Company
returned thanks, and invited the company to Cologne, to
the festivities prepared for the morrow, at the same time
drinking to the alliance of Prussia and Holland.
Mr. VAN DAM VAN ISSELT, chairman of the Board of
Commissioners, in one of his most eloquent speeches, pro-
posed "Prosperity to Amsterdam," as the centre and focus
of all that should be enterprising and good.

The BURGOMASTER of Amsterdam returned thanks, con-
lauding with a quotation from Schiller, which, in plain
English, means " And we'll all be jolly good fellows."
The ADVOCATE•GENERAL proposed "Prosperity to Co-
logne," which was supported by the President cf the
Netherlands Trading Company.
The COLONIAL MINISTER, in conclusion, gave "Pro-
sperity to Rotterdam," which was responded to by Mr.
Hoffmann, the Burgomaster ; and the Minister of the In-
terior having adverted to the credit due to the engineers,
the party separated and adjourned 'to a conoert at Fras-
cati's.

THE OPENING.
Saturday morning broke forth with a charming autumnal
freshness, aided by sunshine, and as the guests assembled

at the Amsterdam station at 8 a.m. all parties seemed in
high spirits to commence their journey to Cologne. The

scene was not only enlivened by bands of excellent music

and the floating of innumerable flags, but also by the pre-
sence of many gaily dressed and elegant ladies. A mounted

guard of honour was in attendance.

When the train ar-

rived at Utrecht a alight halt took pk.ce at tho Akselau.
Which was thronged with eager spectators, and,the military

bands were again in attendance, as indeed they were at

every large station. The bridge at Utrecht recently dam-
aged by an unfortunate accident, and which during three
weeks had seriously impeded the traffic, had been repaired

with wonderful energy and despatch, and the party passed

safely over, and in due course arrived at Arnheim, where

an elegant dejeunor had been prepared. The Prussian
minister here, in a very flattering speech, complimentel

Mr. Hesleden and the direction on their admirable ar-

rangements, to which Mr. Hesleden replied in a short but

feeling address, which drew forth from the Ministers of

State an expression of the warmest sympathy. From
thence the train proceeded to Emmerich, whore a vast

crowd was present, and where an address was presented by

,he town authorities to the Prussian Minister. Here the

real opening commenced, the line from hence to Oberhaa-
son not having been hitherto traversed. Throughout th•
listance nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of the popu-
lation. Addresses were again presented at several points
of the line, and the party arrived, much pleased with
everything and everybody, at Deutz about four p.m.

BANQUET AND ILLUMINATIONS AT COLOGNE.

The entertainment of the Cologne and Minden Company
was given in the grand saloon of the Hotel,Belle Vac),

doubtless familiar to most of our readers, which was ele-

gantly decorated. About 250 gentlemen sat down to a
sumptuous repast. The chair was taken by the Prussiait
minister, whose his a vis was Mr. Hesleden, president of the
Dutch Rhenish Company. Although, of course, this en-
tertainment could not, from its very locality, be compared

in regal magnificence to that given on the previous evening
at the palace at Amsterdam, it was, nevertheless, excellent
in every respect. As on the previous evening, the speed •i
commenced in the middle of dinner, and the toasts were
similar in character. The healths of the Kings of Prussia
and Holland, and success to the two companies, were very
warmly received. During the evening a copy of a very
beautiful hymn composed for the occasion was handed
round, and subsequently sung. It expressed the delight
of the Prussian nation that a new bond of union had
sprung up between them which they trusted would tend
more and more to cement the good feeling existing be-
tween both countries. Subsequently a very amusing piece
was performed called the Carnival, in which clapping •f
hands, jingling of glasses, sneezing, laughing, ac., were
successfully introduced. The ladies having been duly
toasted, the company began to separate, but unfortunately
a dense fog having set in, the illumination and fireworks
were necessarily postponed until the following evening•
The fog however cleared off on the afternoon of the fol-
lowing day, and the illuminations and fireworks intended
for the t=aturday were displayed on the Sunday evening
with an electrical effect. Those who witnessed them say
a more magnificent spectacle was never presented, and
that the varied illuminations of the cathedral were beyond
all comparison. The artillery aided in heightening the
effect of the scene, by constant discharges of musketry and
small cannon.