The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-11 00:00:00

weeks old.

Mr. W. F. Hobbs, of Marks Hall, near Kelvedon, Essex,
a pen of three 29 weeks and 2 days old improved Essex pigs,
bred by himself, and fed on oats, peas, meal, potatoes, man-
gcl-wurzel, and milk.—Second prize, 5/.
Mr. H. M. L. Whiting, of Heston, near Hounslow, Middle-
sex, a pen of three 32 weeks and 4 days old improved Buck••
inghamshire pigs, bred by himself, and fed on barley and
pea-meal, skimmed milk, and linseed.—First prize, 101. and
silver medal.

EXTRA STOCK.—PIGS.
Mr. 11. M. Whiting, of Heston, near Hounslow, Middle-
se, a 32 weeks and 4 days old improved Buckinghamshire
pig, bred by himself, and-fed on barley and pea-meal, skim-
med milk, and linseed.—Silver medal.
B. T. BRANDRETH GIBBS, Hon. Sec.

THE CORN-LAWS.THE AMERICAN ;MINISTER.---'
The Secretary of the Legation to the United States, .
has written alettertoillornmg
the
Ganesivoiois,t
d reference to an article which appeared in that
journalneul on the Bth December, in which it is stated that the
erican Minister has been charged with misinforming the
Times on the subject of the intentions of the British Cabinet
as to the corn-laws, for the purpose of sending out to the
United States fabricated news that might influence the deci-
sion of the tariff question. It appears that Mr. M`Lane left
London for Paris on the 3d inst., but Mr. Melville, in the ab-
sence of Mr. M'Lane, without communication with him, and
on his (Mr. Melville's) own responsibility, denies, explicitly,
fully, and without reserve, each and every imputation con-
tained in that article, and brands them with falsehood from
first to last.

PRICE OF GOLD.—The premium on gold at Paris
is 11/- per mine, which, at the English Mint price of
3/. 17 s. 101 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange
of 25 44; and the exchange at Paris on London at short
being 25 571, it follows that gold is 0.53 per cent, dearer in
London than in Paris. BY advices from llamburgh the
price of gold is 4335 per mark, which, at the English Mint
price of 3/. 17s. 100. per ounce for standard gold, gives an
exchange of 13 9i ; and the exchange at llamburgh on
London at short being 13 11, it follows that gold is 0.80 per
cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
On Tuesday a Court of Common Council was held (pur-
suant to adjournment from Thursday last) for the dis-
patch of business. It will be remembered that, at the
last meeting of the Court, a discussion arose on the
question of affixing the hospital seals to certain docquets
returned te the Court in the regular course through the
City Chamberlain; and the Court was adjourned on that
discussion to yesterday, in order to afford time for coun-
sel's opinion to be taken on the point at issue. The
Lord Mayor entered the Council Chamber, and took the
chair precisely at one o'clock, when
The TOWN CLERK proceeded to read the docquets
in question.
Mr. LOTT rose and claimed the attention of the
Court for a few moments. lie begged to state that the
Committee, of which he had the honour of being chair-
man, anal to which this question has been referred, had
sat and given the closest and most careful consideration
to this most important subject. Time had not allowed
the Committee to prepare a formal report, but he would,
with the permission of the Court, take the liberty of
reading a resolution which had been adopted by the
Committee. It was as follows :—" The Committee re-
commend to the Court that, under the special circum-
stances of the case, the fixing the seals to the docquets in
question be delayed for the present, the Committee not
having yet received a satisfactory legal opinion on the
question." Under such circumstances he hoped the sub-
ject would be deferred, and the Court would now pro-
ceed with the other business of the day.
The LORD Msvoa intimated that the sealing could
not, according to the provisions of the Act of Parlia-
ment, be postponed.
The RECORDER expressed a hope that the Court
would forgive him it he reminded them that its inte-
rests might be materially involved, and its cause much
damaged, if a certain course were not pursued in refe-
rence to this very important matter.
Mr. PRENDEROAST rose to order. The Court had
delegated an authority to the Committee to obtain
certain legal opinions, and having so obtained them, to
make such a report as to them should deem fit. lie
(Mr. Prendergast) objected to one of the counsel who
might have been consulted, now getting up to state that
which ought to come from the Committee itself.

Mr. LIIMBERT JONES submitted that the last speaker
was himself out of order. 'T he motion before the Court
was, that the seal be affixed to the documents, and he
begged to ask the Recorder whether he had not been in
consultation with the Attorney and Solicitor-General on
the subject, and whether they did not agree that, under
all the circumstances, the seal ought to be affixed with-
out prejudice to the matter at issue.
The LORD MAYOR said he must prevent Mr. Prender-
gast from entering into an argument upon the question
when speaking to order. As this was a legal matter,
he (the Lord Mayor) should act on the advice given to
him by the Recorder.
Mr. LAWRENCE thought the Chairman of the Com-
mittee should go further than the verbal report he had
just made, and should state to the Court what was the
nature of the legal opinions which the Committee had
received. It was for the Court, and not for the Com-
mittee to decide, what was or what was not a satisfac-
tory legal opinion.
The LORD MAYOR said he should rather ask the Re-
corder for his opinion on the subject. The Recorder
had been consulted by the Committee, and on his opinion
he (the Lord Mayor) should act.
The RECORDER stated that, under the bye-laws, the
opinions of the Recorder and the Common Sergeant
were ordered to be taken, together with those of other
counsel, on all legal matters relating to the Corporation,
and therefore it was iu his capacity of Recorder, and not
as counsel, that he had been consulted. In consequence
of what passed at the last Court, the City Solicitor had
furnished counsel as well as him (the Recorder) with
further questions on the point which appeared to the
City Solicitor to demand an immediate reply. Those
questions had been considered, and he (the Recorder)
now waited the commands of the Lord Mayor and of
this Court to state the opinions of counsel on the
questions and case which he now held in his hand.
After some further discussion on this point,
Mr. Alderman Hucuas submitted, that as counsel's
opinion had been taken, it was too much to say that it
should be withheld from the Court. He therefore re-
peated his amendment that the opinions be now read.
Mr. LAWRENCE seconded the amendment.

Mr. LOTT requested the case submitted to counsel
might be read, as well as the opinions founded upon it.
The LORD Dieroa said most certainly. Both ought
to be read.

The RECORDER said the Court would, perhaps, permit
him to observe, that although he was aware that it was
ready and willing to give the utmost publicity to its pro-
ceedings, still it would be somewhat too much to ex-
1a that they should promulgate the opinions of their
44ttsel in the presence of their antsginists. lie there-
fore,. submitted for the consideration of the Court,
whether, as a matter of prudence, the Court ought not
to be cleared ?

Mr. HARRISON—I observe strangers present.
On this strangers were ordered to withdraw, and this
Court remairvd in discussion with closed doors for up-
wards of an hour and a quarter. We understand that
after reading the opinion of Counsel, which was to the
effect that the question at issue believed the Corporation
and Christ's Hoipital would not be prejudiced by the
affixing the :seals to the documents already before the
Court, a motion was made that " the seals be now
aifixA." On this motion a division took place, when
the wirnhers appeared—For the motion, 57 ; against it,
26. Majority, 31. The Court was then re-opened to
the public.