The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Sept. 5.
ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS OF CONGRATU-

L A.TION.
The Earl of DELAWARR brought up her Majesty's
gracious answer to the Address of Congratulation on the
birth of a Prince, which was agreed to by their Lord-
ships on the 6th August. The answer was as follows:
" I have received with extreme satisfaction your loyal
address ; I heartily thank you for your congratulations,
and I receive this address as an additional proof of your
loyal attachment."
Th. Duke of WELLINGTON moved that her Ma-
jesty's gracious answer be printed with the Votes.—
Agreed to.
TREATY WITH MECKLENBURGH.
Viscount CANNING laid upon the table treaties
which had recently been entered into with Mecklen •
burgh-Schwerin.
ROYAL COMMISSION.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then directed the Usher
of the Black Rod to summon the House of Commons to
the bar. On their arrival the royal assent was given by
commission to the undermentioned Bills :
The Joint-Stock Companies Regulation Bill, the In-
solvent Joint-Stock Companies Regulation Bill, the
Joint-Stock Banks Regulation Bill, the Art-Unions In-
demnity Bill, the Merchant Seamen's Bill, the Courts of
Law (Ireland) Bill, and the Irish Fisheries Bill.
The Commissioners were—the Lord Chancellor, the
Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl
of Delawarr, the Earl of Dalhousie, and Lord Wham-
cliffe.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then read her Majesty's
most gracious Speech (for whioh see another column).
After which the Commission fir proroguing Parliament
was read, and the Lord Chancellor declared the Parlia-
ment to stand prorogued until Thursday, the 10th of
October next.
The Royal Commissioners appeared in their robes.
There were a few ladies present, who occupied the front
Opposition bench.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Sept. 5.
(Continued from our Afternoon Bdition of yesterday.)
Mr. HAWES moved for returns relating to the late
disturbances amongst the negroes in Dominique.
POST-OFFICE INQUIRY.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that, next session, he
would call the attention of the House to the unsatisfac-
tory nature of the report of the Secret Committee of
Inquiry into the opening of letters in the Post-office, and
that he would submit a specific measure on the subject.
He would also more for the repeal of the rate-paying
clauses in the Reform Bill.
FR ANCE—OTAHEITE—MOROCCO.
Sir C. NAPIER had to put a question to the Right
Hoe. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) which he hoped it would be
consistent with his duty to answer. In the course of
the session the Right Hon. Baronet had stated, with the
frankness which became a British Minister, that a gross
outrage had been offered to a British subject in Otaheite,
and that he had no doubt the French Government would
disavow the conduct of the Admiral. Since the affair at
Otaheite a French squadron had been employed
upon the coast of Africa, and had bombarded
Tangiers. Another squadron had since been dispatched
to Mogadore, and had taken possession of that place.
Another squadron had been sent to Tunis to prevent the
french fleet from intimidating the Dey. Independently
of that, they had put several new ships in commission,
and augmented their naval force, whilst we were dimi-
nishing ours. We had called kome and paid off one of
our ships from Otaheite, and, in the meantime, the
French augmented their force in the South Seal. We
had since paid off two other ships. The question he wished
to ask was, whether France had mad. any reparation for
the gross outrage at Otaheite ; and, if not, whether we
were to be left in the unprotected state in which we were
in all those places where the French were exercising
their naval forces ?—(A laugh.) The Gallant Commo-
dore then made some allusion to the French seizing the
" Queen," which excited laughter, but was not heard
distinctly in the gallery.
Sir R. PEEL said he would make as frank an an-
swer as he could. With respect to Tangiers there was
no reason to doubt the assurances of the French Go-
vernment, often repeated, respecting Algeria and the
countries adjoining, including, of course, Tanis and Mor-
roco.—(Hear.) With respect to Otaheite, I have to
state, that a discussion has taken place between
her Majesty's Government and the Government of the
King of the French as to the occurrences in that quarter
which were calculated to disturb the friendly relations
of the two Governments, and I have the satisfaction to
state that these discussions have been brought to an
amicable and satisfactory termination. The negotiations
which have passed will be communicated to the House,
and I trust that for the present the House will not ex-
pect me to enter into detail.
Mr. HINDLEY (amidst cries of " Order' order")
begged to ask what was the Right Hon. Baronet's
opinion of the conduct of the French Admiral to Mr.
Pritchard, and whether any reparation had been made
for that conduct ?
Sir R. PEEL—Sir, I have already stated that the dis-
cussions have been brought to an amicable and satisfac-
tory termination—(Hear, hear)—a termination satisfac-
tory to both countries—(Hear, hear)—l mean, per-
fectly consistent with the honour and the interest of both
countries.—(Hear, hear.)
LORD STANLEY.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said, that having heard a new
writ moved for in the room of Lord Stanley, he begged
to ask whether the Noble Lord was still at the head of
be Colonial Department ?
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that his Noble Friend's
Position in the Cabinet was not in the least affected by
Isis acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds.—(Hear, hear,
end a laugh.)
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that the answer was
Pot sufficient, although it was given with such pleasure
and facetiousness by the Right lion. Baronet. The
noble Lord held an important office in the Cabinet, and
-be thought the people would desire to know why he re-
linquished his seat in Parliament, and, therefore, the
question was a legitimate one.—(llear, hear.)
Several petitions of course were laid uron the table ;
men
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, who was interrupted by cries
of " Order, order," said he did not wonder at the im-
patience of lion. Members opposite, as they must be
aired of wheeling about so much during the past session.
,—(A laugh.) Although he knew he had not much
time, as he expected the Black Rod to make his appear-
ance every moment, the motion he had to make was of
importance, and he would take the opportunity that
remained of making it. It was for a copy
of the opinions adduced by the judges on the questions
of law propounded to them in the case of "O'Connell
glad others against the Queen," with the copy of the
notes of the short-hand writer appointed to report the
roceedings. Those opinions had already been laid
t efore the House of Lords, and were by this time circu-
lated throughout the country; and there could be no
objection to produce them in that House. He un-
derstood that Mr. Gurney had taken notes of
those opinions, which, he believed, were cor-
rectly reported by the press; and it would be seen that
some of them reflected the highest credit upon the
udgea.—(Hear, hear.) The opinions of one judge (Lord
. Menman) ought to be laid on the table and printed in
letters of gold.—(Hear.) It was still recollected what
bad taken place in that House last session, and all the
vapouring there had been about " convicted conspira-
tors," and how the Right Hon. Baronet took credit to
himself for having brought the convicted conspirator to
condign punishment; now it proved that he (Mr.O'Connell)
was no conspirator at all—( Hear, hear, cheers, " Oh," and
laughter)—and that they (the Ministers) had been guilty
of the greatest injustice. He (Mr. Duncombe) had been
called to account in that House for having denounced the
manner in which the prosecution of Mr. O'Connell had
been conducted when he laid the petition from his
constituents on the table. It proved now that the only
conspiracy which had existed was concocted in the
Home-office and carried into effect in the Queen's Bench,
Dublin—(Cheers, laughter, and cries of " Oh, oh.")
When he looked at the unfair advantage taken of Mr.
O'Connell—(Cheers)—the fraudulent jury list—(Cheers)
—the packing of the jury—(Cheers)—the partisanship
of the judge—(Cheers)—the employment of spies and
the suborning of the reporters, he felt that the question
bad ended as it ought to end, in the disgrace of those
gentlemen opposite, who had engaged in this conspiracy
against the due administration of the law
and the rights of the Irish people.—(Cheers.) Those
persons had had three months' false imprisonment, and
a vindictive feeling, and a sort of part malice and ma-
lignity were exhibited by the Government towards
those individuals.—(Hear.) When a Bill was submitted
by Lord Campbell to the other House of Parliament,
for the purpose of suspending sentence till the validity of
the judgment was ascertained, it was rejected because it
wai
supposed it might be favourable to Mr. O'Connell
and the other entlemen who were illegally convicted.
'This lookedlike a vindictive spirit on the part of the
Government, and what the people of this country had
LOW a right to expect was, what they meant to
do for Irelend—(Cries of " Hear, hear")—what re-
paration and atonement they were to make for the gross
insult offered to the leaders of the Irish people, in whom
they placed their confidence.
tad Talk of the question of
repeal, the Government l
ould fin
promotedd it anddi
ffigeiuvletnnoalnv
impetus to repeal, which they w
to stop.—(Hear, hear.) They created an impression
among the English people, that if they themselves were
Irishmen they would be repealers, in onegl
misrule of the country.—(Cheers.) Thesyitiaed7 of the
the Iris
Ireland, and it would never be forgiven by
till
wtoruisli
people. It was a disgraceful proceeding,
an(ii
never be forgotten by the people of England. He in-
tended to move that a message be sent to tho House of
Lords for a copy of the opinions of the judges in the case
of the Queen v. O'Connell, so that it might be
hid on the table of the House, and might
be ready for next session of Parliament, when
tie hoped and trusted, whatever might be the majority
by which the Right Hon. Gentleman was supported in
that Mouse, that there would be found a sufficiently
independent body to express the public opinion with
regard to the baseness, illegality, injustice, and cruelty
' of the incarceration of those gentlemen.--(Hear,bear.)
Mr. OTWAY CAVE seconded the motion. He re-
gretted that Sir R. Peel should have allowed to pass
without reprobation the principles acted upon by his
Irish Attorney-General—viz., that of taking-the law into
ivy... Hs owniaatncls.
aHe (Mt r. Otway Cave) lamented it the
• '-r\,.,.: h .ttliiiir9til4tren
it c
wuounofrtyhesoutinciercstur.ijamsptaonrctaednceasthlarteloabned
Al ig'> j. 4ll tiftiF, tO •' the law should be inculcated, an
;•:`,,,,:i.4/,4,111‘ , p ‘ so contrary a tendency should be set
r,
,
~,, 3,112 ~,w . . laces. He greatly feared that such an ex-
-0 -`tz,-,
.--, _ , as no other than that of appealing to
~.7.:v.._.,.., tuturi r" tend of reason and argument, and consti-
tes tat -6 the Irish peasantry, -.. Y 0 to be judge in
andcocnasseid,emreidghatabea
your own •
AV 1411 IT them of the resorting
jutostiewehoaft
lead been called by Mr. Grattan o"fthewild
teriDge."

The motion having been put,
Sir R. PEEL said that nothing could be more incon-
venient than, under present circumstances, to enter into
a discussion which could not be brought to a close.
lE
was probable that the proceedings of the House would
be interrupted even before he had concluded his address,
even if he thought it proper to enter into a discussion.
He should only say, that whenever the opportunity arrived,
he should be ready to vindicate the course taken by her
Majesty's Government. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to
forget that seven out of the nine judges were of opinion
that the proceedings were in conformity with the law.
He should not provoke nor enter then into any partial
discussion of the subject, but should content himself with
saying, that whenever the period arrived he should be
prepared to vindicate the course taken by her Majesty's
Government. Her Majesty's Government had recourse
to the ordinary course of law—they asked for no extra-
ordinary powers, and though it was admitted that
the period was one of danger, they only
looked for a remedy to the ordinary tribunals.
With regard to the particular motion he should not offer
any opposition to the production of the papers ; and
though there would not be time to send a message to the
House of Lords, he would take care that that should not
prevent the communication being made to the House of
Lords in the usual manner. With regard to what the
Hon. Gentleman had said respecting his Right Hon.
Friend the Attorney-General for Irelantl, he thought,
after the manly explanation he had given of his conduct,
and the provocation he had received—which few might
have been able to resist—the Hon. Gentleman should
not have adverted to that circumstance. The Hon.
Gentleman the Member for Finsbury had used very
hard expressions in designating the conduit of the Go-
vernment. He denied the charges implied in them, but
as that was not the occasion to enter into a discussion
on the subject, he should wait until another opportunity
arrived.—(Hear.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL felt the inconvenience of
entering at that moment into a discussion on this sub-
ject, but he should reiterate his opinion that the trial
which Mr. O'Connell and the others had received
in Ireland was not that trial which would give an
impression of fairness and justice. He should be pre-
pared to enter into a discussion with the Right Hon.
Gentleman on the subject, more particularly since his
opinion had been confirmed by that of the House of
Lords, who decided that the 'conviction was not accord-
ing to law.—(Cheers.) He should contend that it was
not a trial by a fair jury—(cheers)—but by a jury
elaborately put together for the purpose of
•
conviction— (Loud cheers)-s-charged by a judge who
did not allow any evidence of any weight in favour of
the accused to come fairly before his mind, but who
charged more violently than the Attorney-General
accused—(Loud cheers)—towards a prejudiced jury, in
such a manner as to prevent justice being done to the
people of Ireland as it was to the people of England.
He trusted the effect of those proceedings would be to
prevent any similar proceedings from taking place again,
and to give an assurance to the people of Ireland that
from the highest tribunals in this country they would
obtain that justice which was denied to them at home.
—(Loud cheers.)
Sir T. WILDE thought it would be inexpedient to
enter into discussion then, but as the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman had said that seven out of nine of the judges
were of opinion that the proceedings were in conformity
with law, he would state what the effect of those
opinions would be in the law and Legislature of the
country. An objection was taken to certain counts of
the indictment in Ireland. The judges there were
unanimously of opinion that the sixth and seventh counts
were good beyond any doubt. They referred par-
ticularly and expressly to those two counts, and more
particularly under them the traversers were punished.
There was no principle of law more settled, more so-
lemn, and more important, than that every record must
speak for itself ; and that no proof, however clear, or
however cogent, could be received to contradict a record.
There was another principle, that that which they could
not disprove they were not allowed to presume. The
main ground on which it was attempted to support this
judgment and this conviction was, that the Irish
judges did not act upon the 6th and 7th
counts, on which every judge who had pronounced
his opinion, and every man who had looked into the
case knew that they did act, and upon a presumption
against a record which never yet was made in any court
cat justice—a presumption which could not be made even
where it was proved. The foundation on which it was
asked to support this conviction, and to continue the
punishment, was, that the judges had not acted on two
counts which they had acted upon more than
all the rest. If that principle were acted upon,
the effect would be to neutralise every writ of error in
the House of Lords. How was the House of Lords to
know what had been done below, except from the record?
The record was sent up to inform them of it, and was to
be considered as conclusive. How, then, could it be pre-
sumed that the court below had necessarily done what
was right ? If that was the case, where would be the
use of a writ of error ?—(Hear, hear.) Every text-
book told the student that if he wished to
learn the law, he must look to the judg-
ments of the court as they were collected from
the record. There was not a single authority of
the slightest weight which did not lay down that doc-
trine. Yet to his astonishment he had been told in that
case that they were to guess and presume. If every
court was in its turn to presume this sad that to be good,
the effect would be to embarrass every man who was
placed on his trial.
The Usher of the Black Rod, Sir Augustus Clifford,
here attended at the bar, and summoned the House to
hear the Royal Assent given to certain Bills by Com-
mission, and to hear Parliament prorogued.
On the return of the SPEAKER to the House, attended
by several Members, the Royal Speech on the proroga •
tion was read from the Chair, and the Members separated.

ELECTION OF CHAMBERLAIN

FOR THE CITY.

Yesterday being 'appointed for the nomination and
election of City Chamberlain, vacant by the death of Sir
William Heygate, the approaches to Guildhall were
crowded at an early hour. Placards setting forth the
claims of the rival caniidates, were marched up and
down King-street, and the other great thoroughfares
leading to the Common Hall, and the other appearances
denoted the interest that was excited by the expecta-
tion of a contested election.
Precisely at twelve o'clock the folding-doors leading
into Guildhall were thrown open, and Mr. Alderman
Brown, with the gentlemen composing his Committee,
and many personal friends, passed into one of the coun-
cil chambers. Mr. Alderman Humphery and his friends
arrived at twenty minutes to one, and were received with
cheering.
A strong force of the City police attended to keep
order ; and the arrangements were so admirable that but
little exertion was demanded from them.

The Lord Mayor took his seat.
Among the Aldermen present were Sir Peter Laurie,
Gibbs, Famcombe, Sir John Key, Challis, Thomas
Wood, John Johnson, and Mr. Hunter.
The COMMON SERGEANT, in the absence of the Re-
corder, explained the purpose for which the Court was
called—namely, to elect a Chamberlain in the room of
the late Sir W. Heygate.
Sir P. LAURIE rose amid cheers and hisses. He had a
very pleasing duty to perform. He had to propose his
excellent friend Alderman Brown.—(Great cheers and
hisses.) There was no pleasure without a mixture of
pain. He regretted personally the death of Sir W. Heygate.
He introduced him (Sir P. Laurie) to the Corporation.—
(Cries of " What a pity.") The office of Chamberlain
appeared to him (Sir Peter Laurie) to be very much
misunderstood. It was supposed to be a mere place for
shelving a man upon a fine annuity, but he could assure
them it was a most laborious office. He had usually
from two to three hundred cases of master and
apprentices disagreeing, and about 700,0001. passed an-
nually through the Chamberlain's hands. This was no
political struggle. If it were, he (Sir Peter Laurie) would
not be there to propose his friend Alderman Brown.
He had been now for twenty years with Alderman
Brown in the Livery, and when their franchise
was in danger, they put Alderman Brown at the head of
their party, and succeeded in securing their liberty.—
(Tremendous confusion, and cries of " No, no.") One
word more. He was glad to see so much uniformity
among them.—(lncreased confusion, laughter, and cries
of " Oh, oh. ') The Chamberlain of Loudon was not so
well off as they were. He had only one days holiday
throughout the year.—(Great laughter, and cries of
" Oh, oh.") When they saw his friend walk the streets
as Chamberlain, they would say, "he is an honour to the
City," and they, like him, would feel proud that they had
assisted to make him so.—(Loud cheers and groans.)
T. A. HANKEY, Esq., rose amid tremendous confusion,
and said he was proud to second the nomination of Al-
derman Brown, whose character and station was a suffi-
cient guarantee for a due attention to the duties of that
important office, the City Chamberlainship. His cha-
racter was unimpeached—it was unimpeachable. He had
filled his Aldermanic chair as none had done better, and
in every station to which the City had called him he had
proved his public worth and his private virtues.—(Tre-
mendous uproar, and cries of " Out, out.") He thanked
them for their kind attention—(Great laughter)—and
would conclude by secondinglhe nomination of Alderman
Brown.
Alderman HOOPER rose to propose to them his friend,
Alderman Humphery. In doing so he was proposing
a man every way qualified, if honesty, talent, and in-
dustry could entitle him to it.—(Great cheering.) He
should be sorry if Alderman Humphery's appearance
in the field so late, and the very inefficient personage
who now proposed him, should operate against him.
The duties of the Chamberlain had been alluded to by his
friend Sir Peter Laurie. He would not recapitulate them,
but he would say, without fear of contradiction, that no
man was more fitted fur the office than his friend. He
Was a thoroughly practical man. He had served in the
offices of Alderman, Sheriff, and Mayor, and he had re-
presented the City in six or seven Parliaments. He would
again propose to them Alderman Humphery.—(Cheers.)
_ T. SIMPSON, Esq., rose to second the nomination. He
found himself in a peculiar situation, for here were two
a ble and honourable gentlemen in the field. But they all
knew that there were degrees of comparison. Alderman
HB ruom‘Vpnhlev
royu
wd
o umakeld maa kgeo oa
dbChamberlainu,dbu A
cheers.ld r mHa n)
e
stood there, not as a political partisan, but as the friend
of Alderman Humphery, and he was sure the more they
knew him, the more they would appreciate him.
PETER ALFRED TAYLOR, Esq., said he would detain
them but a few minutes, as he thought that anything
said from that hustings would have but little influence
on their vote. He would merely mention the gentleman
whom he meant to propose—Mr. G. H. Hepp(l—(Loud
laughter, cheers, and cries of "Oh, oh.") Whatever
talents may be claimed by others, he was certain might
be claimed for Mr. Heppel. He thought it was high
time that this office should not be a prescriptive right
to the Court of Aldermen. That Court did not at pre-
sent stand so high that they should select a person to fill
this important office from it.—(Loud cheers.)
Wm. WANSEY, Esq., said he seconded the nomination

of Mr. Heppel. He had known him long, and held him
in high estimation. He did not think that the Court of
Aldermen was the best school to select the public ser-
vants from. Aldermen were taxed somewhat with
spending the public money, and he thought the duty of
the Chamberlain was to keep it. The speaker then
passed a high eulogium on the late J. T. Travers, Esq.
He was sure that if that lamented gentleman were alive,
he would vote for his friend, Mr. Heppel.—(Cheers.)
D. W. WIRE, Esq., said he was not about to make a
speech, but to ask a question of each of the candidates.
The question he had to put was this, and he put it to
Alderman Brown first. If elected to this office of Cham-
berlain, would he resign his gown ; and would he con-
cur in any reduction and regulation which might be pro-
posed hereafter ? The same question he put to Alder-
man Humphery and to Mr. Heppel.—(Loud cheers.)
Alderman BnowN returned thanks to all in that Hall,
and particularly to the seconder of his friend, Alderman
Humphery, for so he was proud to call: him.—(Cheers.)
He wished that this Hall had not been made a political
arena, and however some gentlemen of the Wanseyan
school might wish to do so, he was certain that the
attempt would meet with their reprobation.—(Cheers.)
While returning thanks to Alderman Hooper and the
gentlemen who had seconded Alderman Humphery, he
begged to remind them, that their assertion that that
gentleman was more fitted for the office of
Chamberlain, was a matter of opinion only, which
were better left to the Livery to decide. He was aware
that his political opinions differed from many of them,
but he claimed the right that they themselves exerted—
the right of every honest Englishman to retain his own
opinion. He had not the slightest doubt of the issue of
that election. He had received assurances of success
from his friends, which it was for them to realise. In
answer to Mr. Wire, he would say that that gentleman
had acted with his usual candour, in giving nobice of his
intention to put the question. If by their kind opinions
he was called to the vacant office, he would not retain his
gown on him, and he had such confidence in the recti-
tude of the Court of Common Council, that whatever
course they would adopt he should have no hesitation in
following.—(Loud cheers.)
Alderman HUMNIERY rose amid loud cheers, which
lasted a considerable time.—His friend Alderman Brown
assured them of the certainty of his election. He (Mr.
Alderman Humphery) had only arrived in London a few
days ago, or he would have been as prominent as his
friend had been in asking their support. When Sir
William Heygate was very ill, it was well known that
a canvass was ready to be set on foot, and when that
gentleman died—on Wednesday—upon the Thursday
notices of candidates were in the newspapers.—(Shame.)
The speaker then referred to the mis-statement as to the
day of election. He had no doubt it was a mistake ;
but it was in print.—(Laughter.) However, there he
was, and he offered himself as candidate before them.
lie (Alderman Humphery) thought that he was fitted
for the office, if integrity and business habits, equal, he
hoped, to his friend Alderman Brown, would be sufficient
for it. This was no political office, and he did not mean
to make it a political question. The office, most
unfortunately for Sir William Heygato and for his
family, was held by him ; and he was very sure that the
excitement had assisted to injure his health very con-
siderably. He hoped, however, that excitement would
not have any ill effect upon himself or Alderman Brown.
—(Loud laughter.) He would not recommend his friend
Alderman Brown, however, to depend upon the scouts
sent out to ascertain the sentiments of the Livery. They
' were obliged to return a good report, or they would not
be paid. Whatever was done on this occasion would be
done good humouredly, and he would not be the worse
friend to any man if his vote were recorded against
him. With respect to Mr. Wire's question, he would
at once lay down his gown in the event of his being
elected. To the second question, he was at once pre-
pared to accede to the wishes of the Council, or to give
up his office.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. lIEPPEL said that Alderman Brown had said that

this was likely to degenerate into a political question. It
would not be made so by him, but he wished to rescue
this office from the domination of the Court of Aldermen.
The speaker then adverted to the history of the Cham-
berlain's office as connected with the Court of Aldermen,

and he camp forward to contest the principle, that the
office should of necessity devolve upon an Alderman.
Having done so much, he would now go to the poll, and
let the Livery record their votes wherever they
willed it.—(Great cheering.) He thanked them
for their patience ; and with respect to the second
part of Mr. Wire's question, he would at once accede to
the wishes of the Council.—(Cheers.)
A question was put by a gentleman in the body of the
Hall to Alderman Humphery, whether he had been a
party to the taking away of Mr. Wallis's license ?
Alderman HUMPHERY said he had nothing to do with
it; afterwards he had given him his vote as a magistrate.
1). W. llAnvEy, Esq., said that ho had an unconquer-
able aversion to fruitless contests. He perfectly agreed
with the principle enunciated that day by
Mr. Heppel. If the office of Chamberlain was
an appendage of the Aldermen's Court ; it
would save public time, were the form of business they
were enacting that day to be avoided. Why should they
not merely send out their heralds and their marshals, and
their men in gold—(Laughter)—to Aldgate pump—
(Laughter)—to Temple-bar, and to Newgate—(Roars of
laughter)—and let them proclaim it with flourish of
trumpets, from the house tops, that their brother Hey-
gate is dead, and that Alderman Brown, as senior Alder-
man, is elected to the vacant office.—(Laughter.) The
speaker then, after referring to John Wilkes, said he
would refer to a nobler and a finer instance—Who
elected the constitutional lawyer who, within the
lest forty-eight hours, vindicated the purity of
trial by jury in the person of Daniel O'Connell ?
It was upon political grounds that they elected
Mr. Denman ; then why should they say that poli-
tical questions should be kept in the back ground ?
There were twenty-six magistrates sat at Guild-
hall, and, with a little calculation, they would
find that the labour of each Alderman was but
three hours in fourteen days:' Were they paid for this?
—(Cries of " Oh, yes.") But was there nothing. else ?
The speaker then enumerated the gifts in the
hands of the Court of Aldermen, and, in a
strain of the raciest satire, enumerated the
" good things" and the feast days of the Civic body, and
he then concluded with the celebrated quotation from
Junius—" That even property, would be precarious, if
their possessors had not the spirit to upkold it."
After a few remarks from Sir JOHN KEY, in reference
to a personal matter,
The show of hands were taken, when the num-
bers seemed 'pretty equally divided between the two
Aldermen, three or four hands only being held up for
Mr. Heppel.
The COMMON SERGEANT said that the Sheriffs were
of opinion that Anthony Brown, Esq., bad the majority
of the Livery.
A poll was demanded, and the poll commenced at four.
CLOSE"'OF FIRST DAY'S TOLL.
Alderman Brown 464

Mr. Heppel '
Majority.—

•. • • -4 53

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EYBNING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

GLOBE.—On the very day it was announced that
O'Connell and the repeal leaders were to be prosecuted
by the Government, we commenced an article in the
words of the Eastern apophthegm—" Begin nothing of
which thou hest not well considered the end." The
difficulties which would attend the course of such
a prosecution ; the dangers of success, no less
than the dangers of defeat were manifest to aIL
We counselled. Sir Robert Peel to pause ere he commit-
ted himself to a policy surrounded by such perils. We
insisted that the Proclamation against the Clon-
tarf meeting ought to have been the commencement
of a new era. If the public peace were perilled —as
it was assumed to be—by the " monster meetings,"
the proclamation, if obeyed, would put an end to
the apprehensions ; if disobeyed, the force which the
constitution places at the disposal of the executive,
might have been lawfully employed to enforce obedi-
ence. Those who called the meeting, as well as those
who persisted in assembling, after the prohibition was
issued by the Government, would have been liable to
the pains and penalties which the law provides to punish
disobedience to its commands. The Government had
connived at the previous meetings. It had thus induces
a belief in the minds of the people that they were within
the protection of the law. Every act of the Govern-
ment tended to this conclusion. The removal from the
commission of magistrates who attended the meet-
ings, and other summary acts of the prerogative,
by which the executive expressed its disapproba-
tion of proceedings it had not the power to pre-
vent by the means vested in it by the constitution,
gave encouragement to the repeal leaders. Week suc-
ceeded to week, and month to month. One " monster
meeting" after another, to the number of nearly a
hundred, was held. No actual breach of the peace was
committed at, or followed, one of those meetings. A new
light suddenly broke upon the councils of the Govern-
ment. The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland was dispatched
from London with headlong haste, with a copy of the pro-
clamation against such assemblies in his pocket. Upon
his Excellency's arrival in Dublin, a meeting of the
Privy Council was instantly convened ; and, while the
multitudes were on their way by the various roads to the
place of meeting, printed copies of the proclamation
were posted at the various approaches to the spot. A
formidable military force, consisting of cavalry, infantry,
and artillery, took up the best-selected positions, to
act against the multitude, if it did not instantly dis-
perze. The prompt obedience paid to the authority
of law, and :he quiet dispersion of the people to their
homes, prevented the calamitous consequences which
even an accidental collision between a single peasant
and a single soldier might have occasioned. The prompt
and earnest efforts of O'Connell, and the influence which
his name and character exercise over the popular
mind in Ireland, prevailed. He prudently dispatched
messengers in all directions to meet the people
on their way to the meeting. A printed ad-
dress, bearing his well-known signature, informed
them that the meeting was prohibited by the authority of
Gorarnm( nt. He exhorted to obedience, and was
obeyed. We do not suppose that the Government,
by delaying the proclamation to the latest moment,
contemplated, much less desired, a collision be-
tween the ropealers and the military. But
we do say, that had not O'Connell interfered, large
numbers of the peasantry would have arrived
on the ground, without knowing of- the proclama-
tion ; and that some act of unpremeditated
violence betw,?en individuals might have led to
an attach, in which life would probably have been
sacrificed to a lamentable extent. The obedience thus
paid by the people to this suddenly-determined on, and
clumsily-enforced, interference of the Government with
the long-permitted monster meetings, was a pledge and
earnest that there was no disposition to hold such meet-
ings after they were denounced as illegal- The Govern-
ment had thus asserted its authority in a legal manner ;
its proclamation was obeyed, and its purpose was effected.