The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-23 00:00:00

BROAD•STREET WARD.

At a wardmote of the Broad-street ward, held
yesterday, Sir John Musgrove, the late Lord Mayor,
who presided, gave an explanation of the imputations
on his conduct during his mayoralty.
After the general business was concluded,
Mr. Deputy CORNET addressed Sir John Musgrove,
and said that his best friends were most anxious that
some observations which had been made at a Court of
Aldermen should be explained by him, so as to give
that satisfaction which the ward fully expected they
would receive after any such explanations. He would
advert in precise terms to what he considered the most
pointed remark from Alderman Sidney, who said that
of his own free will and private views be compromised
the Corporation by an individual solicitation from
some courtly lord in waiting, referring to the question
of inviting her Majesty. With regard to further
things that had been said, he could say that cour-
tesy, after all, was but a speculative term—a man
might be courteous and yet very distant; but he un-
derstood Alderman Copeland had written disclaiming
the expressions attributed to him in the public re-
ports. He did not think, either, that these charges
were of such great importance as the first, but he
trusted the alderman would give some explanation,
although it was a delicate subject.
Sir J. MUSGROVE said that with reference to the
statements made in the Court of Aldermen they were
all ex parse statements. He knew the ward was very
sensitive with regard to the character and integrity of
their Alderman, and that induced him to give a full
explanation of his conduct. He did not wish in so

doing to revive any discussions. He could make all
allowance for any jealousy on account of unexpected
honours, but should confine himself to facts. He
would first take the statement made by Alderman
Sidney, which was certainly a very broad one. Al-
derman Sidney assumed a fact and then argued on
the subject. His refutation to the charge would be
that the assumption was wrong. He never invited
her Majesty to the City at all; it would have been
a piece of gross impertinence on his part. He never
asked a courtly Lord in Waiting either to invite her
Majesty. Sir John Musgrove then read the conclud-
ing part of Alderman Sidney's speech in the Court of
Aldermen on the 18th of November, and said that if
he wanted a character he defied any man to give him
a better than was contained in those words. He next
referred to the circumstances connected with the visit
to Paris. Nothing occurred with reference to that
which ought to have made any disappointment. He
considered the invitation perfectly a private one, and
he did not even know at the time that any of the others
were invited at all. He told them, when asked that
he meant to go as a private individual. Alderman
Wilson had said that he should move that the Lord
Mayor go in state, and Alderman Sydney opposed it,
and he himself had said that he did not intend to go
in state, unless it was the desire of the corporation
for him to do so, in which case he should sacrifice all
personal feelings and do as they required. It was
wisdom not to have done so. As a reason for this
assertion, he said that at first he always went about
attended by three servants, and that on more then
one occasion the people bad called out " aristocrat !"
He spoke to the Plefet who accompanied him about
it, and he advised him only to take two domestics.
He then passed on to the charge made by Alderman
Copeland, who accused him of a disregard of that
courtesy which one gentleman should show to another.
He put his whole character before the public. He
had never been charged with discourtesy before. Sir
John Musgrove entered into a detailed explanation of
the complaints made by the alderman for not ans veer-
ing his letter about the Paris invitation, and of the
circumstances connected with the Exhibition, in which,
he said, the corporation of London would not have been
represented at all but for his exertions, and read the
thanks passed by the court for his services. He thought
all these complaints might be called family quarrels.
He had received the thanks of the Court of Aldermen
on the 18th of November, which he read, and asked
the ward whether they required more than that
acknowledgment ? As regarded the point of courtesy,
_he should have been the first to apologise if be thought
he had been deficient in it. Alderman Copeland had
said he was not easy of access. He then adverted
to a circumstance mentioned in that gentleman's
speech. Alderman Copeland, Sir Peter Laurie, and
Alderman Humphery called on him, when sitting on
an important case, and sent for him to know what
WAS going to be done the next day. He told them he
could not tell them until the morrow. He did not
say "call again to-morrow," but it was not his duty
to divulge to one or two members beforehand what
was to be told to the whole Court on the next day.
The remaining things, he thought, were too peurile
to notice. He might say he never did lose his head,
and was then, as he was now, perfectly responsible for
his actions. He had not made this refutation to
the Court of Aldermen because some of his
best friends told him it was not worth ,
his while to do so. He had never shrunk, however,
from making any statement of the facts. He had
never compromised the ward by causing it to lose its
dignity, and never would do so. He thought he had
upheld all the dignities of his office, and he might tell
them of many a scene at the Mansion-house, the like
of which was never before. He bad sent out during •
his year of office 8,000 invitations. He had of these
received 7,000 guests from the highest down to the I
industrious classes from Scotland and Ireland, and on
one occasion he had received 700 foreigners. He
hoped he had explained all things to their satisfac-
tion. He thought he stood gas high not only in his
own ward, but in the Court of Aldermen, as he did
before; and with regard to his private friends, he
might state, without showing the letters he had re-
ceived from them, that they were of a most congra-
tulatory character.
Mr. ABRAHAMS said that the explanation they had
heard was complete and satisfactery, and he thought
it redounded much to the Alderman's credit. Tile
explanation was as much as they could wish, and more
than they required. He concluded by moving
a
resolution regarding the • explanation in conformity
with his speech.
This was seconded by Mr. BANNISTER, and unani-
mously carried.

CANDLEWICK.
This wardmote was held for the first time in the
vestry-room of St. Clement's Church, Clement-lane
(the old place of meeting being pulled down for the
City improvements) ; Sir George Carroll presiding.
On the names of the old members of the Court of
Common Council being proposed for re-election, viz.,
Messte. Evans (deputy), Joseph Blades, Charles