The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-06 00:00:00

TILE SUN, LONDON, TrItUSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1835.

ing representatives for the people of England—and '
these representatives faithfully discharged their duty to
their creator by voting, through thick and thin, with
the Tory Administration for the time being. While
Sir W. A'CouRT was thus supporting the Ministers
at home, they were supporting him abroad—your
thorough-bred Tory always takes care to have a quid
pro quo—by handsome allowances out of the
public money. We do not mean to insinuate
that his diplomatic services were over-paid by his
employers. Far be it from us to forget that Sir
WILLIAM waged an underhand, but active and fatal
warfare with the principles of freedom, wherever it
was the will of Providence to order his lot. Wherever
despotism was to be supported and liberty suppressed,
there was he to be found. To witness the death of
a free Constitution—to watch the agonies of expiring
liberty—to feel the last flutter of her pulse, was to
him extacy indescribable. He was fortunate, too,
in having opportunities of gratifying his ruling pro-
pensity, as the history of his diplomatic crusades would
sufficiently show, had we time to trace it. But we have
not at present. Our attention was drawn to his
merits by the publication of the papers relating to
the cancelling of his late appointment. These papers,
which occupy nearly seven columns of the Times, con-
sist of the correspondence between the Board of Con-
trol and the Court of Directors, together with other
documents connected with the subject. Not a scrap
of any kind, however remotely bearing on the point at
issue, has been omitted. We have not only the letters
of the " Chairs," but also the very drafts from which
they were composed into the bargain ; and the whole
farrago is closed with a very long, prosy, stupid epistle
from H. S. G. TUCKER, Esq., whom we suspect to
be the originator of the publication.
Not one of the papers possesses the least interest.
Every body knows long ago that the MELBOURNE
Administration revoked Lord HEYTESBURYS'S ap-
pointment, because they thought, and thought justly,
that a man of his cast of mind was unfit for such a
situation at so critical a period. This is an offence
not to be forgiven by the " Tory faction," and they
are endeavouring to show their spite at the appoint-
ment of Lord AUCKLAND. But the Government
may laugh at their petty malice. The country has
applauded the course pursued in both cases by Lord
MELBOURNE.

General DE LACY EVANS took his departure
from the Falcon, Gravesend, at twelve o'clock last
night. An eight-oared cutter conveyed him on board
the Isabella, destined for St. Sebastian forthwith.
He was loudly cheered by numerous friends and spec-
tators, who attended the embarkation.

We have received the whole of the Paris Papers of
Tuesday. They contain no news of any importance
save what relates to the recent attack upon the KING,
which will be found in another part of The Sun.

Brussels, German, and Dutch Papers have been
received this morning. They state that the plague
continues to rage in the East with unabated violence.
Albania is in a state of insurrection.

BELGIAN FUNDS.—BRUSSELS, Aye. 4
Actual Debt, ‘2j4 per Cent ,
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent lOO%
Loan of City, ISM, Four per Cent 9Bl
Society of Commerce, Four and a Half per Cent l2l
Bank of Belgium, Five per Cent' ... 112%
—Brussels Papers, Aug. 5.
DUTCH FUNDS—AMSTERDAM, AUGUST 4.
Money. Bills.
Actual Debt, 21. per Cent. 55 5.5!4
A wort Syndic, 4 ,', per cent 94 941
Ditto, ditto, 3% per cent. 79 q 79h
Loan (1,430) 5 per cent.
Ditto (1.32 and ;833) 5 per cent.
Commercial Company, 4,;2 per c. nt ION 1!;AN
New ditto 101.4 lo'2
Exchange on London, One month l2 22%.
Two months
SPANISH FUNDS.
Cortes at Amsterdam, 5 per Cent 'l9 to 39a4
Ditto, dittcy3 per Cent 24;4 to 2.Y.s
Loan, London (1832 5 per Cent.
Cortes Coupons
Cortes Deferred Debt
—Dutch Papers, August 5.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

THIS DAY, THURSDAY, AUG. 7.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

EuTßyheinHthoeusce
hmaiert. at eleven o'clock, the Earl of SIIAFTES-

Prayers were read by the Bishop of BRISTOL.
PRISON DISCIPLINE.

The Duke of RICHMOND moved that Sir Peter Laurie
be summoned to give evidence before the Committee on Prison
Discipline, and that the evidence already taken by that Com-
mittee be printed.--Ordered.
CORPORATION REFORM.

The Earl of—ABINGDON presented a petition from the
Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the borough of Abingdon,
against the Corporation Reform Bill, and praying to be heard
by Counsel against the Bill. The petitioners referred to the
Report of the Commissioners, who expressed their full satis-
faction at the conduct of the members of this Corporation.
Counsel were then called in, and Mr. KNIGHT appeared.
The Duke of CUMBERLAND—Is this a beginning, or a
continuation ?

Mr. KNIGHT—I am going to begin with Dovor.
CASE OF DOVOR.

Mr. Lodger is Town-Clerk of Dovor. Has been so for
nearly ten years. Had not come to London for the purpose,
or with the expectation, of giving evidence. Was here quite
accidentally. The appointment of Town-Clerk is virtually
annual, but is considered to be during life. The governing
body consists of a Mayor, twelve Jurats, who, as well as
the Mayor, are Justices of the Peace, and thirty-six Com-
mon Councilmen. The Mayor is chosen by the resident free-
men of the borough by an open poll. The custom of the borough
has been from time immemorial for the mayor and jurats to
nominate four out of their own body, and out of those four the
resident freemen choose a mayor. The jurats cannot vote in
the choice of mayor out of these four; they are excluded from
this. The Report states that the jurats not only join in the
election cf the four, but that they vote for the appointment of
one out cf these four as mayor ; this is not true. The jurats
are chosen for life. The borough magistrates consist of
the mayor and jurats. The common council are appoint-
ed for life ; the jurats are appointed by the mayor
and jurats selecting two persons out of the common council
from whom one is chosen by the mayor, jurats, and Common
Council. The Common Council :are appointed by the mayor
and jurats, selecting two freemen, one of whom is then chosen
by the mayor, jurats and common council. According to the
last registry there were about 1,208 resident freemen, of whom
about 1,100 are capable of voting for the magistrates. There
are about 700 freemen resident beyond the seven miles.
Freedom is acquired by birth, by marriage, by apprenticeship
for seven years within the borough, by the possession of a free-
hold of the value of 71. 10s., and residing within the borough.
Besides these there are some honorary freemen.
By Lord BROUGHAM—How many freemen are there
altogether ?—About 2,000. There are about 1,288 resident,
who vote for the Mayor, and there may be about 710 not resi-
dent, or freemen in abeyance.
By Mr. KNlGHT—Freemen enjoy these rights from
birth, property, and so on. I 'should think, from rough cal-
culation, that the freemen are three-fourths of the inhabitants
of the town, not including freemen by marriage. The freemen
of the Cinque Ports are free from certain burthens, such as
tolls, and so are under their general charter, but I am not
aware what tract of land is belonging to the Cinque Ports.
I am aware that the freemen of the Cinque Ports have many
privileges, but Ido not know what they are. One important
privilege is that being masters and mates of vessels they pilot
their own ships.
Lord BROUGHAM—Are you aware whether they have
the privilege of becoming freemen in other places ?—I am not.
By Mr. KNIGHT—The Corporation are continually
applied to by freemen, to give tickets to other ports,
stating that they are freemen. The inhabitant freemen
are also entitled to them. I think that the Corporation is
well regulated, and the local justice well administered, by
the local magistrates. I consider the police under the ma-
gistrates were well conducted, and there are some who are
regulated under a local Act. As a proof that the police ge-
nerally is well conducted I may mention that at the last assizes,
in a population of about 5,500, there were only three cases
for trial. The limits of Dover contain Margate, St. Peters,
Ringwood, near Deal, and so on. Ramsgate belongs
to Sandwich. The Council require a qualification of
500/. personal property, or 201. per annum real estate.
The effect of the arrangement contemplated by the new Bill
would be to place the election in the bands of the lower
classes, with very few exceptions. These arc the classes
most habituated to tumult and strife on these occasions.
The consequence would be, that the more orderly and
wealthy would withdraw themselves by degrees from these
elections. speaking from what I have seen, I should think
the change, instead of an advantage, would be a curse. I
was examined relative to the affairs of the Corporation of
Dover before a Committee of the House of Commons in the
year 1833, for upwards of ten hours. That evidence was
printed. The present Speaker of the House of Commons
was the Chairman of the Committee. At the close of the
investigation Mr. Abercrombie made the observation that it
did not appear that there was much to find fault with
in the Corporation of Dover. In page 941 of the Muni
cipal Commissioners' Report there is a resolution of the
Mayor, Jurats, and Commonalty of the Corporation of
Dover, which is correctly printed. That resolution was com-
municated to the Commissioners before leaving Dover. 1 be-
lieve that was after my evidence before the Committee of the
House of Commons had been printed. [The resolution which
was agreed to by the Corporation on the 14th December, 1833,
was then read by counsel. It was to the effect that they were
willing and anxious to follow up the lengthened investigation
into their affairs which had taken place before the Committee
of the House of Commons, and to furnish any further infor-
mation that might be required to any legally constituted body;
but it appearing to the Corporation that the Municipal Com-
missioners had no legal authority, in which opinion they were
confirmed by the highest legal opinion, the Corporation
thought it would compromise their dignity to produce
their records, or submit their officers for examination,
and they, therefore, respectfully declined to do so.]
There were in my opinion many inaccuracies as stated by
the Commissioners in the Report. In page 943 the state-
ment in the Report, that " all the present jurats are of the
same political party," is untrue. The statement that the
freemen were elected from their political opinions or their re-
lationship to the jurats, is also untrue. It is perfectly well
known that some of them are not of the same political opi-
nions. The statement in the Report that until recently the
governing body was of one political party is not true, as is also
the statement that such principle of action had created a strong
feeling of dislike among the inhabitants. There was no feeling
of dislike among the majority of the respectable, wealthy, sub-
stantial, and orderly inhabitants of the town. The Report
stated that the Corporation had a considerable degree of influ-
ence derived from sources altogether distinct from themselves—
allusion being made to the patronage of Lord Wharton—that
statement, if it means there is any connection between the
Corporation and the Duke of Wharton is distinctly false.
There has been no instance of any attempt at interference by
the Duke of Wharton with the affairs of the Corporation.
The Lord Warden of the Cinque Port has never interfered
with the acts of the Corporation. It was most decidedly un-
true that the Lord Warden had ever interfered in the elections
of Dovor, or that the Corporation got any offices through the
influence of the Noble Dnke. There was allusion made
to the Surrogate of the Admiralty Court—the existing
holder of the office got 25/. a-year from it, and was ap-
pointed by Lord Liverpool ; the next office was worth
no more than 121. Not one of the offices enumerated in the
Report as being filled by the jurats of the Corporation of Do-
ver, had been filled up by the present Lord Warden. It was
most untrue that there was any belief existing in the minds of
the people of Dover, that the Justices had granted and refused
licenses from improper and political motives. The fact was
also most untrue within his own knowledge. The general
opinion of the respectable class of the inhabitants was, that
the Magistracy were in favour of the present system of Corpo-
ration government.
By the Duke of WELLINGTON—The Harbour Com-
missioners were the Duke of Wellington, Mr. Jenkinson, the
Deputy-Lieutenant of the Castle, Sir E. Knatchbull,
Mr. Dugdale, the Earl of Guildford, Sir John Bridges,
Mr. Hanway, Mr. Morris, Sir Henry Oxden, and the Mayor
of Dover. He knew that the appointment of Pilots was not
confined to any one particular party, because he had known
many appointed who were of different opinions to those which
the Report seemed to say were the prevailing ones in Dover.
By the Earl of ROSSLYN—Candidates for the office of

Pilot were obliged to undergo a very strict examina-
tion before the Court of Load-menage, at which exa-
mination one of the Commissioners always attended.
These heart-burnings existed since 1830. The number of per-
sons who voted at the election immediately previous to the
Reform Act, was about 1700. Many of the jurats are qua-
lified to 'be magistrates of the county ; one of them was a
magistrate, and there might be six others who were qualified.
Had gone through the different parishes closely with a view of
ascertaining what was the number of houses of the yearly
value of 10/. and upwards, and what was the number of houses
under 101.; and he found that after giving the 101. houses the
benefit of those that were not of the full value of 10/., even
then the majority was in favour of those under the value of
of 10/.; and further, he found that eight-tenths of the whole
of the Poor-rates of the parishes were paid by the houses of
the value of 10/. and upwards, the remaining two-tenths being
only being paid by those houses under the value of 10/.
CASE OF MARLBOROUGH.
Mr. Thomas Merriman was town-clerk of Marlborough,
and has been so for eleven years. First heard he was to be
examined yesterday morning. The governing body consisted
of a Mayor and Council. The total number was thirteen.
Three of them acted as Justices, of whom the Mayor
was one. The Mayor was annually appointed by the Cor-
poration. The Justices are appointed by the Mayor for one
year only. They are generally re-appointed, but sometimes
there was a change. They were chosen out of the Council.
Justice is administered by the Mayor and Justices, in and out
of Sessions, with strict impartiality. Is sure that is the wish
of the Corporation. The Justices administer their functions
satisfactorily to the most respectable and substantial part of
the community. The police is under the government
of the Mayor and the Justices. It is efficiently ad-
ministered and well regulated. They are very quiet,
generally speaking. The police is sufficient, in point of prac-
tice, for what is required of them. The magistrates are
quite sufficient, in point of number, for the wants of the
community. Occasionally, when there have not been two
magistrates present, the business has been postponed, but this
is very rare ; was well acquainted with the inhabitants, and,
generally speaking, the wishes and feelings of the majority of
persons of property, education, arid station, both in and out of
trade, were contrary to change. There exists in Marl-
borough no general feeling of dislike or hostility to the Cor-

poration. The dislike is limited. The population of Marl- '
borough is about 3,600 according to the last census. Thole
are decidedly not ten persons in the town who have expressed
a dislike to the Corporation.
Mr. KNlGHT—Mention some of them. There is Mr.
Woodman the solicitor, who is what is called a Ra-
dical. There is also Mr. Reed, who is a violent
Radical, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Coitdray, and others. I was at
Marlborough when the Commissioners came. Several
persons were present, and there were three or four examined.
Mr. Woodman made a statement to the Commissioners, which
was taken down by them. Mr. Bingham, one of the Commis-
sioners, stated that it was not necessary to swear his (witness')
father. I believe the report which has been made by the Com-
missioners contains much matter that did not take place publicly.
The statement that the exercise of the elective franchise is
under the influence of the patron of the Borough for the time
being, was not made to the Commissioners in my presence,
and I know not where they got the information. lam not
aware of any record being in existence which states that in the
reign of James I. all the inhabitant householders were bur-
gesses, although this is stated in the Report of the Commis-
sioners. There is also a statement that the number of inha-
bitant householders at that time was one hundred ; but
this cannot be correct, as I have seen a copy of an
Order in Council, relative to a fire, which took
place in Marlborough in 1653, and which stated that 224
houses were destroyed. It is stated that in the reign of
Charles the Second a burgess was disfranchised for advo-
cating the cause of " the populars." I know of no document
being in existence which states this. The statement in the
Report of the Commissioners that the elective franchise was
in the Common Council and not in the burgesses generally,
was denied in my presence before the Commissioners. The
polls shew the contrary, and also the Journals of the House of
Commons.
The Earl of RADNOR—I understand you to allude to the
statement that there was a controversy between the Common
Council and the burgesses on this subject?—Witness, Yes,
my Lord.
The Earl of RADNOR—Were you present at the whole of
the public examination ?—I was.
The Earl of RADNOR—Who are "the populars ?"
Mr. KNIGHT—It appears to have meant what is now called
the mob.---(Laughter.)
Lord BROUG HAM—Is there any such term now used in
Marlborough ?
Mr. KNIGHT—No, my Lord, it is not now used. It is the
name these gentlemen were formerly known by.
Witness—The only authority that I know of for the state-
ment made by the Commissioners that a burgess was dis-
franchised for maintaining the doctrine of the populars is an
erased entry in the records of the Corporation. I don't know
from what source the Commissioners derived their informa-

tion of the number of burgesses during the last century. I
believe the statement in the Report, " that the legitimate ob-
jects of the Municipal Institution have been at all times sub-
servient to the interests of the Corporation" is untrue. So
far as my knowledge of the legitimate objects of the
municipal institution goes, they have always been most pro-
perly performed in Marlborough. I do not understand the
meaning of the passage in the Report. It is stated
that "notwithstanding the extension of the elective fran-
chise the choice of corporate officers is still regula-
ted by the patron of the borough," but no information
on that point was given to the Commissioners. It must have
been given at some meeting or sitting other than public. The
Report states that " the Steward of the Marquis of Aylesbury
appears to be the leading member of the Corporation." My
father must be the person here alluded to, but he is
not the agent of the Marquis of Aylesbury. My father is a
solicitor, and was concerned in the management of the Mar..
quis of Aylesbury's Wiltshire estates, but is not now.
The Duke of CUMBERLAND—How long has he ceased
to be concerned in their management ?—Since November last.
The statement in the Report, that at present no person who
was objectionable to Lord Aylesbury would be elected as a
burgess, was certainly not made to the Commissioner by my
father, and the steward was not present at all. I did not hear
it made ; and, if it was made at all, it must have been at a
private meeting. Neither was it true that the Reform Act
had added many more voters to Lord Aylesbury's borough; it had
only added twenty, many of whom were not tenants of his
Lordship. It is also most decidedly untrue, that what they
call the subserviency of the Corporation for political purposes
had been extremely injurious to the interests of the town.
There never, to my knowledge, has arisen any injury whatever
from any leaning or bias. The town is now flourishing as well
as before, and the trade is as good. There was nothing at all
like an " inveterate dislike to the local authorities", produced
by it, and I believe there are not ten respectable or wealthy
inhabitants in the town who do not contradict the statement
that as a Municipal Institution the Corporation had been of
much disadvantage to the town. The Corporation a few
years ago expended 1,400/. in rebuilding a school-house, and
they had taken down a pile of unsightly shambles, at a yearly
loss to them of 501. a year. These facts were stated to the
Commissioners, but no notice was taken of them in the Report.
Mr. KNIGHT—The Report says the Corporation does not do
anything advantageous to the town. Do you consider the
school to be disadvantageous to Marlborough ?—Very be-
neficial. I was educated there myself.— (A laugh.) The
Report gives the average receipts and expenditure
very correctly, but they went on to say that the
lance, or surplus of 9/. was a very small one from such a
revenue applicable to public purposes—that is a false
statement, for the whole of the expenditure, as given
by themselves was spent for public purposes. The expendi-
ture is neither selfish nor corrupt, and I am very certain there
is not a respectable inhabitant in the town who thinks so. I
have never heard any one say so. The Burgesses have 84
acres belonging to them, of private property, which is let out
according to the charter. The Corporation arc trustees of the
school.

Lord BROUG ANl—Was the 14,000/. you spoke of trust
money ?—No, it was the private money of the Corporation.
The Marquis of Aylesbury has the right of appointment to
the mastership of the schools. The school is well managed.
The master and under-masters are clergymen. Lord Ayles-
bury is a very large landed proprietor in the neighbourhood of
the town of Aylesbury. The family take an interest in the
affairs of the town very much to its advantage. The trade of
the town is benefitted by the residence of Lord Aylesbury.
The alienation of that Noble Lord's good feeling to the
town would greatly injure it. Believed that if the property
of Lord Aylesbury was divided and sold in lots, it would cause
universal regret in the town.
By Lord R A DNOR—Do you think there is any thing in
this Bill to induce Lord Aylesbury to sell his estate or to
alter his feelings of charity and good nature towards the
town ?—I do not know.
But in your opinion, and you have stated many things on
your opinion, as far as you have read the Bill, do you think
so ?----That would depend in a great measure upon how far the
inhabitants of Marlborough altered their conduct towards him.
If they committed constant outrages upon him, it would cause
an alteration in his feelings.
But is there any thing in this Bill to induce the inhabitants of
Marlborough to commit outrages on the Marquis of Ayles-
bury and his family, or to affect the intercourse between him
and the inhabitants do not know.
In point of fact, was not the addition made to the boronol
under the Reform Act, principally from Lord Aylesbury's pro-
perty ? Some of it. But the largest portion I should say not.
Lord BRO U GHANI—N% hat ! not the largest portion be-
longing to one individual ?—Yes. No one individual held
more.

Lord R ADN 0 R—Would a person opposed to Lord Ayles-
bury be elected a burgess ?—Most likely not.' There were
five petty constables in the town, and two chief constables, to-
gether with two watchmen. My father was Mayor last year.
I never knew a Mayor in office two successive years ; but they
are frequently re-elected, and my father has been Mayor four
or five times. The present Mayor is Mr. Gardner, who is
a surgeon. The two Justices are my father and Mr. T.
Hawker, who is a farmer and coach-master. These
are the gentlemen who, without any other legal assistance
than mine, transact the whole of the sessional and other legal
business of the town.

By Lord BROUGHAM—My father was a solicitor, and
I was articled to him ; and then, having served my time, I
took the town clerkship. I said that some gentlemen in
the town were Radicals ; but I certainly did not apply

the term myself—it was in answer to a question by Coun.sel.
I do not know that they are Radicals from my own knowledge,
but from report. lam not acquainted with them. Mr. Wood-
man is a solicitor. He came into the town in the year
1814, and I think he is about 40 or 50 years of age.
It is a difficult thing for one professional man to say what
is the extent of another's practice ; but I believe it is con-
siderable. There are two or three other professional men in
the town. I did not at the examination before the Com-
missioners hear the Steward or my father say that no man
would be elected a burgess unless approved by Lord Ayles-
bury. I was present all the time. I was not absent for
five minutes or three minutes. The enquiry lasted one day
only, from ten until three o'clock.
(We shall give the conclusion in our Second Edition.)