The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-14 00:00:00

PORT SOKEN WARD.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of the above Ward
was held on Monday afternoon in the Parish Church, to
hear the political opinions and explanations of the candi-
dates for the city of London.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER SCALES, the senior churchwarden,
was moved into the chair.

Mr. TYARS, the junior churchwarden, had written to
the several candidates to advertise them of the meetin!,
and solicit their attendance; to Sir John Key, Messrs.
Scales, Waith wan, Wood, Venables, and Grote.—Messrs.
Scales, Venables, and Grote were present, and Sir John
Key was expected. Mr. Waithman bad sent to allege as
an excuse for mit coming to this meeting, that he had to
attend another, but hoped that his unavoidable absence
would not prejudice him in the minds of the present
meeting, and trusting that his past conduct had been such
as to merit their favour. From Mr. Wood a similar let-
ter had been received ; that Alderman being compelled to
preside at a Wardmote, and also appealed to his past con-
duct and known principles.—(Sir John Key here entered,
and was received with general and loud applause.) From
Mr. Lyall no answer had been received.
Mr. SCALES came forward and was very warmly re-
ceived ; he said that he came before the meeting an ac-
cused man, anti before one of his accusers. This then
was the time for that gentleman to make his charges pub-
licly, and he, Mr. Scales, trusted that the meeting would
give the accuser a most patient attention.
Mr. HOWARD said, that as no one bad risen to make
any charges against the Worthy Alderman, he would make
a few observations. The freedom of election, that greatest
of advantages, had been attacked by the Court of Alder-
men, in refusing a man chosen by a large majority of his
fellow-citizens as their Magistrate. After a great deal of
noisy dispute, Mr. Howard found means to render audible
the resolution he had to propose, which was to the fol-
lowing effect :—" That it was the unanimous opinion of
the inhabitants of this Ward, that the twenty-two Alder-
men who signed the return of the mandamus obtained by
their twice duly elected Alderman, Michael Scales, had
acted unjustly and illegally, and deserved the marked dis-
approbation of every inhabitant and freeman of Port-
soken Ward."

This reselution was seconded by Mr. CHEAPER.
Mr. Dounr.xnay moved as an•amendment, " That Sir
John Key should enter upon his exposition."
The original motion being put,
_

'Mr. Alderman VENABLES did not come to defend the
Court of Aldermen ; and must add, that should this mo-
tion be persisted in, however desirous he might be to come
before his fellow-citizens, be should think it inconsistent
with his honour to remain.

The original motion, notwithstanding, was put and una-
nimously carried ; and Mr. Venables left the meeting,
" with great regret, but from a feeling that his honour
would not allow him to remain."

Sir Jomi KEY was received with great applause. He
begged that any gentlemen who might have questions to
put to him wouli do so before he commenced his address.
The following questions were accordingly put to him :

Whether he would support any motion for rendering the
deliberations of the Court of Aldermen open to the public?
—and any motion to restore to the Citizens of London
their ancient privilege of choosing their own Magistrate ?
—and whether he would support any motion that should
be made to take from the Jews their present civil disabi-
lities ?

Sir JOHN KEY felt the strongest determination, if
elected, to set immediately and strenuously to work to free
the people from the enormous load of taxation which had
beet: so rapily and fearfully laid.on them, principally for
the support of a crusade carried on against public opinion,
to trample under foot the glorious attempts of a great
nation to establish their rising liberties. The great points
of actual Reform are to come, and the people, as they in-
crease in intelligence, will see and require and have them.
The House and Assessed Taxes, are the first point to be
reformed--" to be reformed altogether." The City of
London and the Metropolitan districts understand the ne-
cessity of this well ; they know that the City of London
pays more in those taxes than eighteen out of the
fifty-two counties, and that the metropolitan dis-
tricts pay more than forty out of the fifty-two
counties do. These facts will sufficiently teach the
citizens of London nut to support any man who
does not pledge himself to vote for the repeal of
those taxes. With respect to the vote of censure
just passed, he wished to make a few observations,
without which it would be monstrous in him, one of the
22 censured, to come forward as an advocate for civic li-
berty and rights. On the occasion alluded to, be had
been obliged to sign his name in his official capacity, as
President of the meeting, not placed in that position by
choice, but by the regular duties of his station as Mayor.
One thing he would say, that he did not on that occasion
give his vote, or it would most certainly have been in Mr.
Scales's favour. —(Cheers.) He had only put his name
as certifying that the majority had so decided. He (Sir
John Key) most conscientiously believed that the law was,
that any Ward hod the right of election in itself quite un-
controlled by any other Ward, and that no Court has any
right to pronounce the man so elected unfit. if he proves
so on trial, then the right of dismission lies in a local
Court, and by a Jtiry of hie fellow-countrymen.—(Cheers.)
He should certainly support any motion for opening the
Court of Aldermen, which, like all other deliberative assem-
blies, ought to be perfectly open to the public ; and also
any motion for restoring to the citizens their full rights of
election. For the Emancipation of the Jews he was, as
ever, a most strenuous advocate; nor could he be otherwise,
having always been a firm supporter of civil and religious
liberty over the world.
Mr. SCALES said the explanation just given by Sir
John Key was most satisfactory to him (Mr. Scales), and
such as entitled him to the best support, esteem, and
thanks of the Ward.—(Cheers.)
Mr. GROTE would give but a very brief exposition of
his sentiments, which he had explicitly declared in a cir-
cular. The primary object to be attained was to procure
for the people a cheap and efficient Government, which
must be procured by putting an end to the sway of a proud
and exclusive Oligarchy. The people could not more
yearn for such a Government than he did to give it them.—
(Cheers.) The election of magistrates by the people is
the basis of all good Government ; this basis can be
founded on nothing really firm till the people have the
protection and freedom of the Ballot.—(Cheers.) Frugal
expenditure of public money, Mr. Grote considered so
important a duty, that be held him who uselessly spent a
farthing of it to be a public depredator. The Church
system of expenditure also required a most strict investi-
gation and alteration. He most fully agreed with Sir
John Key, that the Court of Aldermen, like all other
assemblies deliberating on the public affairs, should be
open to that public. The Emancipation of Jews he
should most strenuously advocate, and endeavour thus

o get rid of the only vestige of religious intole- t"

ranee we are now ;;iiitly ot; The Taxes on Know-
!edge should at once he abolished ; the poor man la-
bours under sufficient disabilities from his poverty,
without having an actual prohibition thus put on his pos!
sible advance in intellectual improvement. The Assessed
Taxes, he thought, should certainly be abolished, and a
graduated property tax substituted—the most equitable
and convenient method of raising the necessary amount
of taxes. -

Mr. JONES then moved that the meeting, in their full
approbation of Mr. Alderman Scales, should pledge them-
selves to use every effort to promote his return to Parliament.
—Seconded, and carrit d unanimously.
Mr. TYARS then moved that the meeting should also
support Sir John Key and Mr. Grote.—Seconded, and
carried unanimously.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meet.
ing separated.