The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-05 00:00:00

AGAINST THE LORD MAYOR.

Yesterday a Committee of the whole Court was held for
the purpose of taking into consideration the late sudden
departure of the Lord Mayor from the Court, and other
points of his Lordship's conduct.
Mr. PRITCHARD (the Chairman of the Committee) ob-
served, that it was not necessary to state to those assembled
the cause of their meeting. They were met to consider an
obstruction that had been interposed to the due progress of
the business of the Committee, important as it was. That
obstruction had been attempted first of all by a breach of
privilege on the part of the Lord Mayor in refusing to
place a supplementary report of the Committee on the
paper of business for discussion, though requested so to
do by him as Chairman • and secondly, when a motion
was made on Thursday fast to remedy the obstruction,
and a question of order arose on that motion, his Lord-
ship had attempted to sustain his first act, by refusing
to hear argument on the question of order, except on
one side, and had broken up the Court rather than
listen to a speaker on the other side. The confusion
which had arisen on the occasion was entirely owing
to this dereliction of duty on the part of his Lordship ; and
it had been increased, not by the supporters of constitu-
tional rights in that Court, who had listened with patience
equal to that shown by the Lord Mayor to the speaker on
whose side he volunteered an ex parte decision, but by the
advocates of arbitrary and unreasoning authority who kept
cheering his Lordship's refusal to hear the contrary argu-
ment, and attempted to drown by noise the demand that
the other side should be also heard. Had that bearing
been granted, he (Mr. Pritchard) was prepared to justify
the course suggested in his motion. Upon that point his
right to an immediate hearing was unquestionable ; but
that right had also been violated by his Lordship in his un-
justifiable breaking up of the Court. A slight glance, how-
ever, at the proceedings of the last twelve or fifteen months
must satisfy every impartial person that the present con-
duct of the Lord Mayor had its origin, not in an abstract or
incidental point, but in a determination systematically acted
upon by him and his immediate predecessor, to use not only
the legitimate, but a usurped authority of the mayoralty to
delay, in the hope of thereby contributing to the ultimate de-
feat of the important reforms recommended by the Com-
mittee ; and this from a feeling that those reforms were
calculated to secure the constitutional privileges of the
Court, and curb for the future any attempt 'at unreasoning
and despotic power on the part of the Lord Mayor. Mr.
Pritchard then enumerated a series of delays and difficulties
resorted to by the present possessor of the civic Chair
and his immediate predecessor, in confirmation of his ar-
gument. In conclusion, Mr. Pritchard appealed to the
members present to aid him in the attempt to assert and
maintain the just privileges and authority of the Court
of Common Council against the attempt of the Lord
Mayor to bow them down beneath his own assumption of
arbitrary and irresponsible power, and to persevere in the
important reforms they had already gone so far with.
A MEMBER having asked whether the Lord Mayor w 4,5
not justified in refusing to put the report on the paperi
business, on account of the Committee having finishecr •
labours—
Mr. 'CIIAELNEI PEArtsozy moved that the Chairman sin

bring the matter forward at the next General Court,`,..
moving that his Lordship had by his conduct in questiOn
violated the privileges of the Court.
The motion having been seconded—
Mr. FIGGINS asked whether the Lord Mayor had had
notice of the report, or could proof be given that Mr.
Pritchard's letter had reached his hands ?
Mr. PRITCHARD said the letter was written in guildhall,
and given to the hall-keeper to deliver to his Lordship.
Mr. GALLOWAY said the Lord Mayor had admitted to
him that he had received Mr. Pritchard's letter. The fact
was, that any one might see from the calibre of his intellect
that he was unable -to judge for himself, and was the tool of
others. His Lordship had acknowledged that the Recorder
was his adviser. It would be prudent, perhaps, to lead him
gently into the right course.
Mr. R. TAYLOR said that the Lord Mayor would be
amenable to the Court of King's Bench if he refused or
neglected to hold Courts for the dispatch of the public,
business. He was not less bound, as the functions of the
Court were deliberative, not to violate the standing orders
and the freedom of debate.
After some observations from Mr. STACEY, Mr. FRENCH,
and other gentlemen,
Mr. PRITCHARD read the form of a motion he had pre-
pared, both as to the breach of privilege and the remedy
for it---and the proposition was, with a slight alteration,
adopted ; and he was requested to introduce it at the Ge-
neral Court.

The cloth-market in Yorkshire has been partially
suspended during the past week, in consequence of the election
contest for the West Riding.

On Saturday an inquest was held at the Elephant
and Castle, Pancras, on the body of a male infant, which was
discovered within the iron railing of Mecklenburgh-square,
wrapped up in a piece of coarse calico. There were no ex-
ternal marks of violence on the body - but there were suffi-
cient proofs to show that the mother had not been properly at-
tended to. The jury returned a verdict—" That the child
was found indecently exposed, but whether born alive or other-
wise there was no evidence to prove."

SUDDEN DEATH.---We have the painful duty to
relate the sudden death of Mr. William Edge, of the Wheat-
sheaf public-house, Red Lion-street, Holborn, which took
place on Sunday afternoon last, a few minutes before five
o'clock. The deceased appeared in good health and spirits
he whole of the day, and ate a hearty luncheon. While he
wets drinking a glass of ale within his bar he suddenly
fell down and turned black in his face in a moment. Mr. Mor-
gan, a surgeon, of Bedford-row, was promptly called in, but
he fauod that life was extinct. Mr. Edge was upwards of
seven years the landlord of the Blue Posts, Southampton-
buildings, Chancery-lane, and he afterwards kept the Coach
and Horses, Holborn, about two years. He had been only a
few months the landlord of the Wheatcheaf. He has left a
widow and two sons to lament his loss. He was in the 51st
year of his age.
FUNERAL MRS. BROWNING AT WOOLWICII.
_Yesterday afternoon an immense concourse of persons as-
sembled opposite the Britannia public-house to witness the
interment of the above ill-fated woman, which took place in
Woolwich Church-yard. The funeral service was read in a
very impressive manner, and produced a great sensation on the
assembled crowd, the greater portion of whom were females.
The funeral was neat and respectable, and among the mourners
was the mother of the unfortunate deceased, whose right hand
was tied up, from the wounds she received from the bayonet
of the prisoner during his fatal violence. At least five hun-
dred persons were present in the church-yard and the road,
many of whom had left London in the steam-boats and other
conveyances to witness the interment of the deceased, who.
bore an excellent character in Woolwich, and was esteemed by
all who knew her.

We have had a week of most ungenial weather--
cold, sharp easterly winds ; and nearly all the mountains
within sight of us are capped with snow as in the beginning
of January. The whole earth seems thirsting for rain. Every
hedge-row is covered with dust, and the fields look brown and
parched, as in autumn. It is the first of May, and men are
yet going about with coats buttoned and cloaks wrapped
around them, as in the middle of winter ; and boas and muffs,
and all the other etceteras of comfort on cold days, are as
much as ever in requisition amongst our fair ladies.—Carlisle
Journal.

The Journal des Flandres states, that abouftwenty
years ago a pike, then of good size, was put into a ptind at a
farm near Dickelvinne, and had not been seen since till a few
days ago, when a girl about ten years age, who was playing
close to the edge of the water, was suddenly seized by one of
her feet by an enormous fish, which made powerful efforts to
drag her in. Fortunately she caught hold of a bush, and held
fast till a servant, alarmed by her cries, came to her assistance,
and found her struggling with the pike, which had grown to
be a perfect monster. She was released from her assailant,
but not till her foot was dreadfully lacerated.
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