The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-19 00:00:00

r..:_YURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of public
business.
Mr. STACY requested to know from the Chairman of
the Royal Exchange' Committee whether the encaustic
paintings in that building had been performed upon the
principle of public competition? He was induced to ask
the question, in consequence of a statement which ap-
peared in the papers some days ago, an 3 to which much
notice had been attracted.
Mr. R. L. JONES said they certainly had been exe-
cuted upon the principle of public competition.
A MEMBER—Amongst English artists ?
Mr. R. L. JONES replied that he was not aware of any
exclusion whatever with respect to the artiste of any
country.
Mr. R. TAYLOR—I can state that more than half of
the persons engaged in these paintings were English-
men.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. R. L. JONES —There is no doubt whatever of that.
Mr. ANDERTON—I am anxious to know, for the sake
of the mercantile men, who are subjected to great incon-
venience by the delay, when it is likely that the building
bill be opened ?
• Mr. R. L. JONES—I hope, and believe, that it will be
opened during the present mayoralty.—(Loud cheers.)
CITY OF LONDON FREEDOMS.

The Report of the Freedom Committee, to whom it
was referred " to inquire into the power of the Corpora-
tion to enforce upon all persons, whether carrying on
business, wholesale or retail, within the City, the obliga-
tion of taking up the freedom of the City, and the pro-
priety of enforcing the same upon all traders, and parti-
cularly upon wholesale dealers," was, upon the motion
of Mr. Ashurst, the Chairman, ordered to be printed.
The Committee to whom it was also referred to con-
sider as to the propriety of making a county-rate within
the City, stated, that in pursuance of the references they
had met from time to time and considered the matter,
and in order to obtain the best information, they directed
a strict search to be made into all the charters, records,,
documents, and proceedings which would tend to throw
light upon the subjeet ; and they ordered extracts to be
made from them, to enable the Court to consider the
whole in one comprehensive view. In furtherance of
these directions the Town-clerk had prepared and laid
before them extracts from the charters, the book and
muniments of the Corporation, the statutes of the realm,
and other documents, from the earliest times to the
present moment. The collection and printing of these
extracts had necessarily required much labour and oc-
cupied some time. The subject matter was not only
of the greatest importance to the City, but also in-
volved weighty considerations, having on the one
side deep-rooted prejudices, long practice, and
continued neglect to overcome ; and, on the other, the
necessity of extensive and effective correction of existing
evils, and the securing the restoration of the ancient,
just, and reasonable rights of the City. They had
weighed and considered the conclusions which were
printed, and the proceedings which were suggested, and
though they were not at present prepared to give their
final report on all the matters referred to, yet there were'
some points on which they were prepared to report their
recommendations, and to press the immediate adoption
of them, as required by the existing evils and the ne-
cessity of a speedy correction. The pressure on the
retail dealers, and the immunity of others who dwell
within the City, and partook of all its advantages, had
weighed much with the Committee; and they had unani-
mously resolved that the Acts of Common Council, im-
posing penalties on persons residering in the City, and not
enrolled as citizens, using arts, trades, occupations, and
mysteries within the City, should be recommended
for immediate enforcement. As to the expediency of
making a county rate, they had not at present obtained
such information as would enable them to make a report
upon that point. They had been the more inclined to
recommend the adoption of proceedings for the penalties
under the acts of Commyn Council, as they had the satis-
faction of knowing that that the Court of Aldermen had
likewise had laid before them, by the Remembraneer,
extracts and documents relative to the wholesale dealers,
ropies of which had been communicated to them by the
Court of Aldermen, and from which they found that the
same view they had taken of the liability of the whole-
sule dealers, who were not freemen to legal proceedings
for penalties under the laws and customs of the Corpo-
ranon, was adopted by the Remembrancer.
The report was appointed for discussion at the next
Court. _ _

A long discusion took place, upon the motion of Mr.
BOWER that it be referred to the Committee on the
traders freedom to consider the expediency of reduciog
the fine on admission to the freedom of the City to the
ancient fine of 21. 6s. Bd., and the proposition was
rejected by a large majority.
PORTRAIT OH LORD DENMAN.

The LORD MAYOR said he had received a letter from
highly-gifted and most estimable lady, accompanied by
a full length portrait of Lord Denman, Chief Justice of
the Queen's Bench, who had formerly filled the office of
'Common Sergeant of their City. The rank, talent, and
virtues of the noble individual who was the subject of the
portrait, the faithfulness of its resemblance, and the
excellence of its execution, would, he was sure, render it
a highly acceptable present to the Court.—(Cheers.)
The following, is a copy of the letter.
" To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and
Common Council of the City of London.
"MY LORD AND GENTLEMEN—I solicit your accept-
ance of a full-length portrait of the Right Hon. Lord
Denman, Chief Justice of England, which I have had
the honour to paint expressly for the Corporation of the
City of London.
" I hope I have so far proSted by the opportunities his
Lordship kindly afforded me, as to obtain a likeness suf-
ficiently faithful to be valued by you, and to convey to
nosterity an adequate resemblance of this distinguished
IL dividnal, of whom it will be recorded in history that,
wrism excluded from political considerations from the
lv,veß.- earned honours of his profession, he was elevated
by tite ancient privilege of the Corporation of London, to
judicial station and forensic rank ; and after having,
under their auspices, for nearly ten years, maintained a
high reputation as an upright judge and a powerful
advocate, he was raised by his Sovereign to the office of
Attorney-General, and, finally, to the eminent position
h 9 has-ttbw the honour to fill.
Allied as I have been for many years to members of
the Common Council by filial and conjugal ties, it
affords i:qe much satisfaction to place under the guardian-
ship of th,at body the last of this magnitude which it is
nay intention to undertake.
" I avail m; self of this occasion to express my grate-
fat sense of -o,e respectful attention I have personally
Always received from the corporation; and I have the
honour to be, my Lord and Gentlemen, your obedient
servant, " MARY M. PEARSON.
" Clapham Common, July 18, 1844."
The reading of the letter was received with cheers.
Mr. R. L. JONES said he was one of the few members
rhe.a remaining in the Court who twenty-tWo years ago
had supported Mr. Denman's election as Common
Sergeiti 't. It was a period of great political excitement.
when par,4l, feeling prevailed to shut him out from that
rank and /30stioa in his profession which he was by his
ta'ents so .ve.ll qualified to occupy.—(Loud cheers.)
His subsequent honourable and useful career had justi-
fied the in eyes of the world the discriminating selection
entitle by the Comma? Council, :who, in conferring upon
hi al the rank of Comnwn-Sergeant, smoothed the rug-
ged access to fame and fuytune, and enabled him to sur-
mount the difficulties which adverse circumstances had
place lin his way.—(Clicors.) His Lordship always ex-
pressed hsrnself pleased to revieNy from his present ex •
tilted ore.ol:nence the events of forme; days,
_ and he (Mr.
Jones) eitertained no doubt that the Corporation and
his Lordship mould feel equal satisfaction in transmitting
to future ages, within the walls of the Council-chamber,
the memento of his Lordship, which that splendid por-
srsit atforded.—(Loud cheering.) In conformity with
ti.' precedent established forty years since, when the
Iton. Mrs. Darner :presented the bust of Lord Nelson,
then in tliie Court, be should move that the cordial thanks
of the Court be given to Mrs. Charles Pearson for this
very en,.nable present, and that it be referred to the City
Land- Cu mmittee to provide a suitable place fur it iw
the Council-room.—(Cheers.)
Sir P. LA. Win: said that, participating as he did with
the other men ,bens of the Court in the great respect they
Lore for Lord J7,nnan, as well as for the lady by whom ,
the portrait had beon painted, he should content himself

•
with seconding, the toction.
Mr. R. TA.7I OR renankcd, that being in the same
situation as Mr. Jones., he concurred with that gentle-
mail in expressing the satisfaction they must feel in
having been men ibers of the Court when the Corpora-
tion exercised one of their highest and noblest privi
hi the v.eiection of this distinguished individual to
the judicial office of Common Sergeant, by which he at
the same time attained professional rank as an advocate.
—(CheerF.) .41.8 a con•-titutional advocate, and as a con-
sti!ut:onal jue'gr, Lord Penman had done justice to the
early ex pectat ions of his friends, and had maintained that
ehzsacicr for (-;• insistency which had recommended him to
uuiversil confide nee and regard. The Corporation of Lon-
don had a just right to plume themselves upon the manner
in which they laid their ancestry had used their consti-
tutional right of appointing to high office. The records
DI the Corporation proved that the House of Commons
had been provide d with three Speakers, the Woolsack
with ten or twelve Chancellors, and the Courts of West-

'philter with as ivany Chief Justices and Chief Barons,
besides a whole hi,st of puisne Judges. Lord Coke,
L..rd King-, Sir Thomas More, Chief Justice Hale, were
all recruited from the ranks of the City Law Officers,
and, it was not a little remarkable, that that eminent

lawyer and aistinguished scholar Mr. Baron Bolland,
who had been competitor with Lord Penman for the

Common Ser.genut'; go Kn, was, like himself, afterwards
elevated to the ja dicial bench:
Alderman FAR EBROTIIER observed that the ability
and integrity of thus distinguished Nobleman stood too
high in public estimation t,) need any eulogy from him,
Nit he could not help alluding to the resolute and per-
se, •ering manner in which his Lordship had, upon all
0„, ions, opposed any invasion of the rights and privi-
leges , the citizens of London.—(Great cheering.) He
said he could not refrain from doing justice to the good
taste mu. feeling of the lady who had gracefully
•
selected a
faithful, zealous, and able officer of the Cor-
poration, n, lw elevated to the summit of his profession,
portrait presented to that body.—
as the subje 1F of a
(Cheers.) Ile
hut ,seen with adnitration the magnificent
production of
pencil, which her fidelity in resem-
blance, and for haste and ability in execution, need not
fear competition with nny of the splendid portrdits with
which the Council Chain her was adorned.—(Cheers.)
Mr. WIRE, Mr. JUPP, and other members, supported
the motion, which was carried unanimously, and amidst

loud acclamations.
Mr. R. L. joxr.s having moved 'Oat the Lord ,Mayor
he requested to convey the foregoing resolution to 31..1%

,ated that he most cheerfully se-
m, and availed himself of the
krking upon the very gratifying cir-
,*mtrait had been painted by a lady,
}nn elegant accomplishment as the
le independence, and who, by her

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