The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-25 00:00:00

COMMON COUNCIL--(THIS DAY)

A Cotirt of Common Council was' held this
,'uloryings..forthe tletipatvitssilhssimeosi.-1
ILL74EfiS jr.lll. ,TAIArOat COPELAND; EbQA, ON'E Or TS°

SHERIFFS ELECT.
Sir JAMES SIIAW (who presided for the Mr
d
Mayor) informed the Court that a letter had beell
received from Mr. Spode, the partner of Mr. Copeland!
stating that the latter gentleman was labouring tilwei
severe indisposition, and praying that the Cc!" f
would postpone the day on which the swearing °f
the Sheriffs was appointed, till the 18th of ,October'
The letter further stated the desire and wish.of
Copeland to fill the office, and that he hid made
every preparation for so doing. The letter- Ivas
accompanied by the certificate of the medical gel'.
tleman who attends Mr. Copeland. • he
The letter and certificate having been read by t-
Town Clerk,

Mr. Deputy ROUTH moved that the standing e•ii
der of 1748 should be suspended, and that 3 11,,
should be passed, postponing the day of sweelf?
in the Sheriffs till the 18th October. He did tin!
with great reluctance on one account, viz, the great
press of important business before the Court, Avitca
he would be extremely sorry should be delayed; "a
yet he thought, after the expence that Mr. Copeleed
had been put to, and his desire to fill the office, 81
as it appeared he would, in all probability, be sttr".
to
deafly recovered in a short time to enable him so
do, the Court would grant the request.
Mr. SAMUEL DixoN thought that this was Or
novel application, and wished to be informed if there
were not precedents ?
The Town Clerk was not aware of any precede°.
In the case of Sir Thomas Bell and Alderor
Thorp, when a similar application *as made on the
part of Sir Thomas, it was held absolutely necessary
for the Sheriffs to be sworn in on the 28th Sept.
The RECORDER thought the Court had no pnwhert
to grant the application, and even if it had, it log
be .attended with the most-dangerous consequences:.
If the present Sheriffs were to hold over after ter
day appointed by the Chamber they would ren°ed
themselves liable to innumerable actions at law, en.
although perhaps, under the peculiar circumainnve'
of.the case, they.might get verdicts in their itivouri
yet the anxiety attending them—to say nothing,:
the costs--would' be a sufficient . reason to
riuce the Court not to grant the present apPlies:,
tion. There was also another important rase;
for not granting it. The Report of the prisoner
under sentence of death 'nnist be made to his
jesty before the 18th of October, Which could not 'e
the case if it was granted.; or if it was done it might
lead to moat difficult. and serious legal questiPs'.
He therefore thought a new Sheriff ought to'be.a.P:
pointed, and Mr. t opeland at a future opportunr%
might fill this high office. These were the ressee
why the Court, if it had the power, ought not."
grant the request, although his decided opinion
it
-
it did not possess the power.
„;Tii•
The COMMON-SERGEANT was of the same or,---°t
with the Learned Recorder. The Act for regald
ing the election of Sheriffs makes. no- provision i
such a case. It does not. contemplate
which he (the Common Sergeant) -thong°
was wise, fur it never -was intended that -a pored
labouring under bodily affliction should be oblio
to fill so arduous and important a situation; 11
thought the Court bad not the power to grant tl'/
application. . .
A long conversation herOerisned, and Mr. Al&ff
nian Waithman was addressing the Court when ?"
reporter left.