The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

ThE DEFEAT OF THE MINISTRY.

.0.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a Court of Common Council was held
in the Chamber at the Guildhall. The Lord
Mayor took the chair at twelve o'clock precisely,
at which hour only one alderman was present. At
ten minutes past twelve Mr. Alderman Rose en-
tered the court, and the business commenced.

Mr. WOODTHORPE read the minutes of the last
court, which were allowed to have been correctly
entered. There was a large attendance of members,
bOth aldermen and commoners, during the subse-
quent proceedings.

THE WAR WITH CHINA AND THE DEBATE IN
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. Deputy RATHBONE said he thought after the
decision which bad been come to by the House of
Commons, it was right to his lordship and the
court that a meeting of the principal merchants
and bankers of the City of London should be held,
and he would therefore ask his lordship to convene
a meeting, for the purpose of enabling them to ex-
press their opinions upon the subject. The corpo-
ration of London, for the last two or three centu-
ries, had taken the lead in such matters, and he
could not see why they should not do so at the
present time. (Hear, hear.) He would put it to
his lordship whether it would be desirable to call
a meeting of the merchants and bankers of the City
of London. (Cheers.)
Mr. DE JERSEY thought that the proceeding
which had been taken by the last speaker was a
very novel one in that court. He trusted that
such a thing would not for a moment be enter-
tained. If the bankers were desirous to have a
meeting they would pursue the ordinary course,
namely, put themselves in communication with his
lordship, and he did not doubt but that his lord-
ship would entertain such an application. (Hear,
hear.) He (Mr. De Jersey) strongly protested
against such a proe eding as bad been asked for
by the deputy. (Hear.)
Deputy DAKIN was of opinion that, however little
it might be the custom of that court to interfere i❑
matters like the.one before them, if ever there was
a crisis that justified such a proceeding that was
the one. (Cheers.) He believed his lordship would
find that there was a very general feeling among the
merchants and bankers, and those who were inform-
ed of the mercantile opinions in China, that if there
was a step more dangerous to their immense and
important trade than any other could be, it-was the

result of a coalition such as that which had then
taken place. (" No, no," and cheers.) He thought
that there would be great sympathy in the
City of London if his Lordship agreed with the sug-
gestion which had been made to him. (Hear.)
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR protested against the mode
of proceeding which had been taken by some of the
members of the Court. He thought it was very
irregular. (Hear.)
Mr. Ross wished to know what motion was be-
fore the Court.

Mr. BLAKE then rose, but

The LORD MAYOR, said he thought that any dis-
cussion arising out of the subject at present would
rather damage the question. (Cheers.)
The matter then dropped.
Later in the (lay, however, a requisition was
drawn up in the Court for the purpose of submit-
ting to the Lord Mayor, and which was as follows:--
" We, the undersigned members of the Court of Common
Council, being strongly impressed with the dangerous con-
sequences likely to arise to the commerce of the City from
the decision of the House of Commons on Tuesday night
last, do request your Lordship to call a meeting of this
Court to express their opinion on the subject, and take
such steps as this Court then assembled may think neces-
sary.

(Signed) "R. Begley, Edwd. Stilwell,
T. Dakin, John Johnson,
Henry Blake, Wm. J. Lister,
Geo. Ross, Edwd. Burkitt,
Charles Reed, T. Holt,
Thos. Barkley, Wm. Lawley.
Geo. Cuthbart, Benj. Bower.
Ben Slowman, Geo. Walter,
Walter Morisse, R. G. read."
THE CORPORATION AND THE MINISTERIAL