The Sun.
London, England, 1828-11-27 00:00:00

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

Yesterday a numerous meeting of the members
of the Court of Aldermen took place. - The business
had very recently taken place
with t
respect
in
for the despatch of which the Court was held was
of
Tl''cat(r'L in comparison with that which
unfortunate creatures who lie
ai.
sie out tpoofr
ttwa o ,
under sentence of death in Newgate. It was ex-
pected that a subject of such deep .interestwould
not escape the first Court of any kind into which the
Recorder of London should enter; and the Lord
Mayor, who had on Tuesday very strongly expres-
sed his opinion on the delay alluded to, we under-
stand, made it pretty generally known that he would
require an explanation.
The following scene took place, as far as our re-
porter could catch the words that fell from the
speakers
Alderman FAREBROTHER said it was a matter of
general notoriety that his Majesty had determined to
hold a Court on Monday at Windsor, to which the Re-
corder was summoned, fur the purpose of reporting the
prisoners under sentence of death in Newgate. The re-
port was expected on Monday night, but, to the asto-
nishment of till, and to the great anguish of many, no
intelligence was received at the prison that night.
Next morning there Was no relief to the suspense
which prevailed during the night ; every place at
which intelligence might have
,been procured in the
fancy of the unhappy relatives was visited, and every
public man in the city, known to take a strong in-
terest in the decisions of the Executive, was ques-
tioned, in the belief that the result was known, al-
though concealed fiom the unfortunate individuals
most nearly concerned. Such a circumstance could
not escape the eye of the respectable press, which
was at all times ready, as was now every day most
powerfully displayed, to advocate- the cause of the
miserable. The Newspapers bad noticed this ex-
traordinary occurrence, The delay was justly con-
sidered an apparent violation of the rights of .hu-
manity. The public looked upon it as an outrage
upon society ; and as a member of that Court, he
considered himself bound to call upon the Recorder
for an explanation of the fact, that, although the
report was made on Monday night, the Governor
of Newgate did not receive it until half-pan five on
Tuesday.
The RECORDER rose amidst the deepest silence.
He regretted that there should be imputed to him
any thing like a disposition to add to the sufferings
of the unfortunate convicts and their friends, or an
insensibility to the feelings and opinions of the pub-
lic. He felt very differently. No one could more
lament the frequent repetitions of the most painful
part of his duty than he did. He had been sum
mooed to attend the Palace, at Windsor, at three
o'clock, and he reached the presence of his Ma-
jesty just an hour before the Council was held. The
convicts who had been sentenced in the September
Session were those alone whose cases underwent
the deliberation of the Council, and the Council had
not terminated its labours until half-past eight
o'clock in the evening, He repaired immediately
afterwards to the Castle Inn. exceedingly fatigued,
the extent and the nature of his duties on the occa-
si in being far from slight or trivial. But his duties
did not terminate with the Council. He was
obliged to occupy himself in writing, and between
that occupation and the great fatigue he had under-
gone, he felt unable to return to town until next day.
He admitted that the report did not reach Newgate
until half-past five on Tuesday evening, but then he
did not reach town until three o'clock, only two
hours arid a half before that time,

Alderman ESREBROTIIER said, that if the Re-
corder was unable, in consequence of the excess of
his fatigue and his feelings, to return to town on the
night the report was 4PEIP, Pr! application ought to
have been made to Mr. Peel, who would, no doubt,
have despatched an orderly with it to Newgate im-
mediately after the execution of the three unfortu-
nate men was determined upon,
We understood the Recorder to say that his
fatigues prevented him from acting expeditiously.
Several of the Aldermen expressed their surprise
at the delay, which appeared to them to be un-
warrantable.

One of their Worships said, that so little regard
had been paid to the feelings of the unfortunate con-
victs or their friends, that it is notorious that several
persons were acquainted with the fact that Fenn,
Higgins, and Harpure, were ordered for execution,
before any communication whatever had been made
to Newgate.
The conversation dropped, after the Recorder had
repeated his former explanation.