The Sun.
London, England, 1819-09-15 00:00:00

'COURT OF Al.,;)BilitlEN.

A Court of Aldermen was, hell yesterday,. at
-which the. Lon° MAYOR presided ; gild the. Alder-
`men prefaent were—Sir Wm. Curtis, Bart. Sir J.
Earner, Karr. Sir James Shao, 1.1-“. t. J. J. Smith,
Esq, C. Smith, F,sq. Sir \Vw. .I.)omvilie.
-George. Set,o!ey, Matthew Wow!, Esq. G.
liridgeS, Esq. Wm. 1-Tey2Hte, Esq. R. A. Cox,
.11:•qiUnbert Waithmati, Esq. and Richard Roth-
E,9..

Air. Alderman Rothwell entered into the usual
leenemizanees to nerve the (Aire of Sheriff.
The regular business of the Court having been
gone through,

llr. Allertnan.SCFlol.BY rose, and in short
speerh, propose:l a hit:lily flattering Vote of
Thanks to the Right lion. the Lord M'ayot, for
his great care and activity in preserving tie peace
of 'he City on the occasion of the late Meetings
in Smithfield.

Mr. Aldralnan NoTt-twrit. thought the propos-
ed vote by no means adequate to the oeea,lion,
and not sotlicicntiv expressive of the high sense
the Court molt feel of ihe wisdom and vigour ex-
hibited by his Lordship on the occasion alluded
to, and proposed a more highly complimentary
Resolution, in which his Lorthhip wai•partien-
holy tbaolied for the decisive measure of causing
the Hrtest of llarrison, dining the lime the Meet-
Lie was assembled. ,

Sir Jimes SHAW thought, as there was likely
to be much difference of opinion as to the word-
ing of each of the Resolutions, it would be much
better to adopt the- middle course, and propose
such a Vo e of Thanks as every Member of the
Court could concur in, as a moderate Vote of
Thanks, carried unanimously, would be much
more complimentary to his Lordship, than one
more highly coloured, and carried by a small ma-
jority. The Worthy Baronet then moved a Vote
of 'thanks !cf his Lordship, for his conduct on the
occasion mentioned, couched in- moderate but
flattering terms-of approbation.
- 'this was objected to by.the Aldermen Cox and
litttnoEs, as not sufficiently complimentary to his
Lordship, nor strongly enough expressive of the
opini,n of the Court ; but, on being put to the
vote, it-passed unanimously.

. Mr. Alderman WooD desired to know from the
Lord Mayor, whether any, and what steps had
been taken bybis Lordship respecting the horrible
plot for burning the City and murdering the
In-
-1 which I►is Lordship had. communicated
to the Court of Common Council.? and whether
any of the Incendiaries, who, Isis Lordship had
stated, held their meetings near the Guildhall, bad
yet been apprehended

Mr. Alderman Cox thought it quite disorderly
and improper to make any such inquiries ; the
cnromunk 01011 was made to the -COtirt of Com-
mon CounCil, and his Lordship ought not to be
called upon to answer questions as to any thing
that took'place iii another Court.
Mr. Alderman WAiTotatAtsr contended, that the
inquiry was perfectly correct and in order ; the
fears and apprehensions of the citizens had been
considerably excited by the communication which
his Lordship stated had been made on oath, and
it was highly necessary some ftirther explanation
should be given. If there was no real ground for
alarm, the feelings of the people had been unne-
cessarily sported with.
Mr. Alderman WooD insisted that some com-
munication on this subject ought to be made ,
there could be no impropriety in't he Lord Mayor's
making known to his brother Magistrates, in-
formation received by him on oath, upon a sub-
ject which so nearly concerned them all, as well
as every inhabitant of the City over which they
presided.
[The Lord Mayor, however, though repeatedly
Presses), both by Mr. Alderman Wood and Mr.
Alderman- Waithman, maintained a solemn and
guarded silence.]
This husioes3 being at length dropped, the
LORD MAYOR addressed the Court, and said he
bad a complaint to make against one of the Ma-
gistrates of the City, for what he considtired a
high breach of his duty, tending to disgrace the
Magistracy and degrade the office of Chief Ma-
gistrate ; he then named Mr. AldErman ‘Vaith.
man. His L6rdship proceeded to state, that his
complaint against the Worthy Alderman Was;
that after he ('he Lord Mayor) had disiolved the
last Common Hall, the Alderman threw off • his
gown, took the Chair of the Meeting, and in-
duced the persons assembled to agree to and pass
Resolutions degrading to him in his Magisterial
capacity. If • such a proceeding was legal and
proper, it was altogether useless and unnecessary
to present netrivit inns to the Lord Mayor, as the
Chief Magistrate, as the Livery might hold Coin-
mon Halls without his presence. Such conduct,
Le conceived, would not meet the sanction of that
Court. lie considered that after the' Ball was
dissolved by the Lord Mayor the proceeding to hr.-
titer business was illegal; that the Meeting was an
unlawful assembly, and that the Chief Magistrate
would be justified in reading the Riot Act. lie
had alsd another complaint to make against the
'Worthy Alderman for his conduct while sitting
as a Magistrate in the JOStice-room, at Guildhall.
A fellow of the iodine of Stocks, who bad been an
officer of the City, but whom he (the Lord Mayor)
had discharged, applied to the Alderman for a
summons against him, to appear and answer for
his conduct in the Court of Common Council,' at
a Common. Hall ; on which occasion the Worthy
Alderman had tittered opinions degrading to the
high olli,!e he now held, insinuating. that the
Lord Mayor might be brought to answer before
the Sifting Alderman, and in the Common Hall ;
rcoo:nwending the fellow at the same tithe to
-011 P mace his complaint to the Livery at the next
Co;,lnli-r Elan. His Lordship concluded with
observing, that he considered such conduct de-
grading to the high situation lie held, arol had
therefore felt it his duty to submit it to the judg-
ment and consideration of the Court. "
Along altercation ensued as to tire manner of
proceeding to be' adopted ; at length Sir WaL
CuaTis proposed a Resolution, reciting the facts
as narrated by his Lordship, and concluding with
a reference of the whole to the Law Officers, with
in,tructions to search for precedents.
-proposition Wels StroDgly supported by

Aldermen Cox, at. ;LC,
well.

Mr. Alderman Wamt MAN at length rose for
the purpose of defending his conduct, and, in a
speech of great length, contended, that the
complaint against him had no reference what•
ever to his Magisterial capacity ; that the Com-
mon Hall was a Meeting of the Laid Mayor,
Aldermen, and Livery ; hut that as soon as,his
Lordship directed the mace to be removed,
and quitted the Chair, the Meeting was no longer
a Common Hall, hut a Meeting of the Livery
only, that he then threw off his gown, and
acted in his capacity of Liveryman alone.—
With respect to his taking the Chair, and in-
ducing the Itesolotions that were agreed to,
hundreds of Liverymen, who were present, knew
that be wished to have avoided taking the Chair,
and did his utmost to decline it ; but he felt the
duty imperative upon him when elected by.the
Meeting. It rval also naattl•r of notoriety that
he did not altogether approve of the wording of
the Resolutions, and, that lie had been charged
with partiality, and his conduct publicly found
fault with for the disapproh..cion he had shewn.
However much lie might have declined taking the
Chair on that occasion, he st 11 contended the
Livery, when assembled, had a clear and legal
rialit to discuss their grievances in the Common
Hall; that the circomvirare of lila being a Magis-
trate did not deprive him of the possession or exer-
cise of that right in common with every Liveryman,
and that Vt ithollt his gown he had acted as a Livery-
man only. There was no necessity to search for
precedents ; similar cases were well known and
remembered ; they had been of frequent occur-
rence. Mr. Alderman J. J. Smith, who was now
present, had done precisely the same under similar
Circumstances. After the then Lord Mayor had
'quitted the Hall, he took off his gown, and act-
ed as Chairman to the Meeting that remained.—
Mr. Alderman Combe, upon another occasion,
engaged to do the like, and would have taken the
Char, but that the then Lord Mayor had pru-
dence enough not to dissolve the Hall. Oa the
occasion alluded to, the Livery had previously
presented a requisition to his Lordship for a Com-
mon Hall on the subject of the New 'faxes ; and
although, in different parts.of the country, meet-
hip had been held for that purpose, the Lord
Mayor refused the requisition; end when the
business was attempted to be brought forward by
a snbsequent Common Hall, he instantly dissolv-
ed the Hall. On the late occasion he did the,
same ; and if the Livery could not obtain a Com-
mon Han, and were denied the privilege of dis-
cussing their grievances when assembled, they
were denied a right common to all English-
men, and, compelled to assemble in the open
street, they were liable tq be cot down by
the soldiery, 118 had. been done elsewhere.—
He .was entirely careless what vote they might
cluiose to pass ; no vote they could come to would
degrade him ; he was-ready on all occasions pub-
licly to defend his conduct ; but if they came to a
vote, at.the suggestion of some hot-headed Ma-
gistrates, with regard to the rights of the Livery,
over which they had no cootroul, they might de-
grade themselves, hut certainly not him ; but he
would ask, was it decorous for them, a close
Court and secret' conclave Of Magistrates, to take
upon themselves to call in question the right of a
Liveryman, exercised at a meeting of the Livery
at large? With regard to the second complaint,
he really thotight it too coutetnptihle-for much
notice; bad the Lord Mayor brought the news-
papers to the Court, for it was from them, he
supposed, he had got • his information, lie would
have shewn that there was no ground of coal-
plaint ; he (the Alderman) had seen but one re-
port, and that was correct. He had not theslightest
intimation of any such application being about to
be made ; the. titan. applied to him just as he
wa& quitting the Chair ; he told him he could
not interfere, but he supposed, if time Lord Mayor
had clone any thing illegal, be was amenable for
it, as well as another man, but that his charge
would be more properly made at the Common
Hall. He could have no serious intention of im-
puting blame to the ',Ord' Mayor, and treated the
whole business aN trifling aid absord. nie Wor-
thy Alderman again alluded-to the for Mer charge,
amid pointed out several instances in which'ilie
right had been exercised by the Livery, and par-
ticularly to the case of the Lord Mayor TUrtier,
Who, on Midsuntmer Day, waScomaelled to ethnic
the right. The WorthyAldet man concluded with
observing, that by depriving the people of their
legal and constitutional right 'of dinsenssitig their
grievances, they were driven to tnnitilturins•Meet-
ings, end the very evil was produced. Atli& was
the cause of their apprehensions.
Mr. Alderman J. J. SMITH corroborated the Al-
derman's statement ; he had taken .the Chair after:
a Hall was dissolved ; lie took off his gown, and
considered himself acting only as a Liveryman..
Mr. Alderman Wood declared there were- seve-
ral similar instances. In :the :Mayoralty of Mr.
Alderman Seltoley,-- Sir Wm.. Rawlings had taken
the Chair atter the Lord Mayor had quitted the
Hall.. He strongly contended against any inter-
ference with the right. of the Livery, and particu-
larly reprobated -the -secret manner in which this
business had been brought ,forward, without any
previous notice; told•at.a,time.whenithe Alderman
complained of might- have been unprepared to
she•.v any precedent for his conduct. He observed
that there was-not now is Court (Sir James Shaw
retired before the business.earne onisiid Sir John
Earner having, gone,to his: duty at the-Justice-
room), and he should break up the Meeting.
While Mr. Aldermen. Wood, was On his legs,
Sir Williatn Curtis had, sent out for • Sir • Johu
Earner, who quickly attended the .summons.
Mr. Alderman Weioo was greiitly indignant at
this circumstance, and, persisting in his iutesitioa
of breaking up the Court, left'the room, and 'was
followed by other Aldermen; The Court was
accordingly broke up, without coming to any de-
cision upon the question.

§utcms.—Alis. Finiason, the wife of Mr.' Fin.
Jason of Lisson-grove, Paddington, put a petiod'
to her life on Ainntlay morning, by coiling her.
throat with a razor. The deceased • had been for
some time in n state of mental derangement.. An
Inquisition hdY been held on the body. Verdict
Lunacy.",

A-nDbLEStX. gESSIONS, SaPr. 14.