The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-28 00:00:00

whom they were received.—( Cheers.) He had attentively con-
sidered the speech of the honourable gentleman who had seconded
the motion, but could not find anything in it to induce him
( Mr. Wire) to give that motion his support. The seconder had
stated that the private conduct of the late Lord Mayor was
excellent—that he was kind and liberal to the poor. He( Mr. W. )
was rejoiced to hear it, but that had nothing to do with the ques-
tion before the Court. The Hon. Seconder had urged as
reasons why the Court should agree to his motion, that the
late Lord Mayor had been elected Alderman and Lord Mayor
without opposition, and had also filled the office of Sheriff
with diligence and humanity. Admitting that to be true, it
was beside the question. They were not met to discuss his
conduct in either of these characters, but as Lord Mayor, and
to his conduct while he filled that office, he (Mr. W.) should
apply his argument. His friend the seconder had said that
the late Lord Mayor had manfully stood up as the asserter and
guardian of the chartered rights and privileges of the City of
London. How had be done so ?—by giving to this Court
—the representatives of their fellow citizens—the free, un-
fettered exercise of the right to meet and discuss matters af-
fecting their welfare and interest? No, for on occasions when
subjects, deemed by this Court of vital importance, came be-
fore this Court, he either refused to allow such subjects
to be discussed, or, by an arrogance of power and au-
thority, attempted to put down the free expression of opi-
nion.—( Great applause.) By his uncourteous demeanour
to the Members of the Court as a Court—and by his refusal
to call a Court upon the requisition of 82 of its members,
to discuss the question of Corporation Reform ? He (Mr.
W.) was at a loss to know how the late Lord Mayor had done
any thing to support their chartered rights—he (Mr. W.) was
of opinion that he had done everything to render those char-
tered rights unavailing and inefficient for all useful purposes
to his fellow-citizens.—( Loud cheers.) If the Court were
prepared to submit to such dictation, it would become the
slave of a Lord Mayor, and the Members mere registers of its
edicts.—( Cheering.) But lie ( Mr. W.) was not prepared to
submit to it, and he stood there to assert his rights and the
rights of his fellow-citizens to meet to discuss public
affairs when they thought proper, apart from the private
opinions of Lord Mayors, who only sat as President of the
Court, and not as possessed of uncontrolled power over its
proceedings. ( Hear, hear.) If they had, and exercised
such power, it would be better for the Court to close its
doors, and to return at once to their fellow-citizens, saying
that they could not accomplish any good while there. But
admitting, for argument, that the Lord Mayor had such power,
it ought to be exercised in deference to public opinion. It
ought to be considered as a trust held only for the public
good, and when it was not so exercised, it led to abuse, and
became an instrument in the hands of evil men to promote the
worst of purposes. But he ( Mr. W.) had another complaint
to make ; it was that the late Lord Mayor, who himself ought
to have exercised the greatest care in preserving the standing
orders of the Court, had himself been guilty of a violation of
the 49th order. To gratify a private pique, or to carry into
effect his own views of consistency, or, as he (Mr. W.) should
say, obstinacy, the late Lord Mayor had not only refused to
call a Court, but had actually put the important reports of the
Committee of the whole Court at the bottom of the paper of
the business. There were other observations he had to make
upon the Magisterial conduct of the late Lord Mayor, but as
they were not embraced in the proposed vote he should abstain.
But he implored the Court to take a higher ground than had
formerly been taken—to assume a moral tone and elevation
which had been eloquently described by his Hon. Friend, and
thus to stamp an imperishable value on their votes, which
would at once be a guide and a stimulus to public men, and a
warning to others not to follow evil examples.
Mr. S. DIXON supported the vote of thanks.
Several gentlemen rose to address the Court, but the f r
of " question, question" resounding from all parts of the room,
a show of hands was taken, which preponderated in a ratio ol
more than six to one in favour of the amendment.

Upon the Court dividing, the numbers were found to be
For the Amendment
Original motion 44
Majority —44
After some further observations on the conduct of the late
Lord Mayor, the Court adjourned.