The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 29, 1842.

THE NEW MAYORALTY.

After the Sheriffs were sworn in, the Lord Mayor
and Alderman, according to custom, returned to the
old Council Chamber, in which the Court of Alder-
men is usually held, and where some expected a Court
would meet after the ceremony just concluded. No
i more than nine Aldermen, however, having assembled
I (thirteen being the number necessary to constitute a
' Court), the subject of the ensuing Mayoralty, which
had excited a considerable sensation in the city, could
not be formally introduced.
The LORD MAYOR having waited for some time,
apparently in the hope or expectation of making a
Court, called upon those Aldermen who were present
to take their seats, as Alderman Thomas Wood was
desirous of making some communication.
Alderman THOMAS WOOD then said, that, in con-
sequence of what had taken place in the Court of
Alderman on the last day of meeting, he thought it
to be his duty to request the Lord Mayor to convene
a special Court on the subject which had upon that
occasion occupied their attention. His Lordship had,
however, no doubt upon good advice, declined to call
the special Court, but intimated to him that as a
Court would probably be formed after the swearing
in of the Sheriffs, he might then submit any state-
ment or proposition to his brethren, or answer any
charges against him. Now he was present to answer
any charge, or charges, that any person should think
proper to urge against him. He had appeared at the
last Court for the same purpose, and not one charge
had he heard. He had appeared in Court and called
for an investigation into the whole of his conduct,
and what had the Court done ? How did they an-
swer his earnest call for strict inquiry? Why by
refusing to institute any inquiry at all. But though
they would not grant that request, the spirit of mis-
representation received no check. No; one of his
brother Aldermen rose and made a gross misstate-
ment of what he (Alderman Thomas Wood)
had said some years before, when a candi-
date for the office of City Solicitor, for he had
never made any statement as to the amount of his
property. That misrepresentation was, he felt con-
vinced, ascribable to some circumstances attending
the contest for the Shrievalty, in which Alderman
Johnson and he 'were successful. With the same
confidence he denied the truth of the charge that he
had refused, in June last, to have an inquiry insti •
tuted by the Court of Aldermen. He was ready at
all times to answer any charge. But, in fact, all
possible means of misrepresentation had been exer-
cised against him, and forged letters and documents
were not wanting to give colour and point to the
slanders which had been so mercilessly heaped upon
his head. He would ask any of his brethren whether
they could put their finger upon one tangible charge
against him ? He defied them to show an atom of
ground for accusing him. Why, then, should he
meet from his brother Magistrates any hesitation as
to the inquiry which he courted ? He appealed to
them as brother Aldermen, as brethren in the Com-
mission of the Peace, as men and as Christians, and
still they refused not only to assist him, but to do him
the justice which he claimed at their hands.
Alderman FAREDROTHER said he was sure the
worthy Alderman would forgive him for taking the
liberty to suggest a course which, in his opinion, un-
der the existing circumstances, it would be most ad-
visable to adopt, and which, if followed, would enable
his worthy friend to show most effectually the ground-
lessness of the imputations against him, if they were
without foundation. It was quite clear that several
charges had been brought against Alderman Thomas
Wood. It was equally clear that Alderman Thomas
Wood had asked an investigation into his conduct
touching these charges. Now, in his opinion, it would
have been quite impossible for the Court of Aldermen,
to whom Alderman Thomas Wood had addressed him-
self a few days ago, to go into an inquiry with any
hope of coming to a satisfactory conclusion as to the
truth and falsehood of these charges before the day of
election of Lord Mayor. What then would the real
friends of the Alderman advise him to do ? Why the
judicious course must naturally strike every oue to be
that Alderman Thomas Wocd should take the best
means of producing evidence in confirmation of the
truth of his own denial of the veracity of the state-
ments made against him. By not taking the office
of Lord Mayor for twelve months, Alderman Thomas
Wood would not with the less grace enter upon it
after having removed all the impressions made to his
disadvantage. On the contrary, he would, upon
showing that the accusations were false and slan-
derous and unjust in every respect,—he would be re-
ceived by his fellow-citizens with the sincere and
hearty welcome which men were ever disposed to
yield to the calumniated and oppressed. He declared
most solemnly if he were in the situation of his friend
Alderman Thomas Wood, he would say to those
around him, "Here am I accused, but although most
unjustly accused, I will not allow myself to be put in
office until Ihave shown satisfactorily that the charges
against me are false." That would be the manner and
the spirit in which he would meet the imputations
against his honour, and he knew by such a proceed-
ing he should not only check the current of libel, but,
if the accusations were false, throw back upon the
slanderers proportionate odium and abhorrence. Now
he must declare that the matter of accusation was of
such a nature as could not within a very limited time
be fully answered. One of the charges was that
good coal had been exhibited, to the Alderman's
knowledge, in Ireland, as the coal of the Talacre mine,
which was wholly incapable of producing such coal
itself. Now he certainly could not think that any
man could be so great a fool as to subject himself to
the contempt and ridicule which a deception of that
kind would most inevitably excite ; still there it was
in print, and the libel ought to be exposed before the
election should fall upon him who was charged as
principally concerned. He repeated the assurance,
which he made in the kindest feeling, that Alderman
Thomas Wood would raise instead of degrading his
character, by retiring for the next twelve months, and
avail himself of the opportunity of proving to the
satisfaction of all that he was an oppressed and per-
secuted man.

•
Alderman THOMAS WOOD thanked Alderman Fare-
Jarother for advice which he sincerely believed was
'Well intended; but he felt that' lie had ibeen• harshly
and-unkindly treated by the Court. declared
his readiness to answer every accusation, and he soli-
leWPM,quiry, and his brother Aldeimen 'rejected his
appeal. He knew that the statement allnded td by Al-
derman Fprebrother was. in print, and he had in his
affidavit in the Queen's Bench, proved it to be a gross
falsehood. The Queen's Bench was satisfied with his
explanation, but the Court of Aldermen required other
means of satisfaction. There were but two pits in
the Talacre mine, and no coal had ever been produced
except the coal from those pits. To the other charges
he gave as plump and satisfactory a contradiction.
They were most grossly and atrociously false, and he
was left by his brother Aldermen to reap all the bene-
fit of these libellous aspersions, and denied their sym-
pathy, even after the Court of Queen's Bench were
satisfied with his explanation. And he was asked to
endure this for another year ! He did not seek the
office of Lord Mayor for the mere gratification
of vanity • but he desired to know why, after
having filled the other offices with honour and
to the satisfaction of his fellow-citizens, he was to be
shut out from the Mayoralty? It had been said that
he ought to set himself right with the public, to
whom the representation had been made. Was he
obliged to answer the slanderous assertions of a ca-
lumnious paper (he spoke not of the respectable
newspapers with which the public were well ac-
quainted), the editor of which had been brought be .
fore him in his magisterial character, and though
mercifully treated, had proceeded to libel and traduce
him in every possible way. Let those around him
look at the condition in which he was placed. The
Court of Aldermen had refused him investigation.
They had refused to hear him. Was he to have his
mouth closed at all times ? He was told there were
grave and serious charges against him. He had heard
one mentioned. Was there any other ? He was
ready to answer any charge—but it was useless to
ask. Everything that could be done had been done
to prevent him from doing justice to himself. He re.
gretted to occupy the time of those he addressed, but
the readiness, the anxiety he felt, would, he trusted,
be his atonement.

The subject dropped here. It is proper to state
that neither Alderman -Wilson, Alderman Brown,
nor Alderman Copeland was present in the Guildhall
during the day.
The following letter was read by the Lord
Mayor to his brethren :
MY LORD MAYoR,—I am instructed by Mr. Al-
derman Lainson to forward to your Lordship my
professional testimony of the impracticability of his
attending the Common Hall on Thursday next, when,
according to custom, his name would, in rotation, be
presented to his fellow-citizens as the junior candidate
for the Civic Chair.

Although I am happy to be able to give a very
satisfactory report as to the Alderman's daily improve-
ment, yet, for the present, quietude and repose are
essential to his ultimate recovery.
Being thus unavoidably prevented a personal at-
tendance at Guildhall on Michaelmas day, he is de-
sirous that I should express to your Lordship his re-
quest not to be placed in nomination.
I am, my Lord Mayor,
Your Lordship's obedient humble servant,
ALFRED MAYER RANDALL,
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
t. 27, 1842.

Sep.

SWEARING IN OF THE NEW SHERIFFS.
Yesterday, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the
Sheriffs, and other City Officers, attended the hustings
at Guildhall, for the purpose of performing the cere-
mony of swearing in the Sheriffs for the ensuing zear,
Mr. Alderman Hooper and Mr. Jeremiah Pillter.
There were several persons in the hall during the
prformance of the ceremony.

Buckstone and Mrs. Fitzwilliam are playing at
the National Theatre in Boston,

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
(From the Devonport Independent.)
The events of the past week, have shown to the
Liberal electors of the borough of Devonport, that
the approaching municipal elections have in them a
more than ordinary degree of interest; that they
are in fact pregnant with consequences of good or
evil to the Liberal cause, and consequently repire an
almost excess of watchfulness, lest the pure stream of
good be perverted by the noxious admixture of evil,
and the long train of ills that follow in its wake.
We have been accustomed to regard municipal elec-
tions as evidences of the respect and confidence placed
in the private worth and integrity of individuals by
their fellow burgesses, whose interests they have
been called upon to protect, and to whose jealous
care has been confided the improvement and
welfare, morally, and socially, of the borough. It
would be a waste of time and purpose, foreign to
our intention, to endeavour to engender a belief
that these elections have been conducted heretofore
solely upon the principles of general worth and use-
fulness, without reference to party bias. The Tories
have, undisguisedly, we will do them that justice,
avowed that the approaching contest is looked upon
by them as essentially a struggle for political ascen-
dancy, and that their united power and influence
would be brought to bear upon it—(a fact, by the
bye, with which we were before well acquainted).
They have dared us to the struggle, and the impo-
tence of their blind and futile efforts, will wreak itself
upon their inevitable and mortifying discomfiture. But
while we prognosticate the utter failure of our oppo-
nent's designs, let not our confidence lull into inert
security the Liberal burgesses of this borough. We
must be up and doing—we must by our activity and
watchfulness defeat and overturn the machinations of
our opponents—we must destroy the viper in its birth
—we must preserve, untainted, the power we possess.
The Tories will leave no stone unturned to gain their
ends : already has a system of disgraceful coercion
been resorted to—already has the corrupt and unmanly
practice of intimidation reared its shameless front in
our. Government departments—already have the un-
derlings of office sought to merit the approving smiles
of their superiors, obviously to their own advantage.
The Tories have avowed their intention, and we have
given them credit for the avowal, but we cannot give
hem credit for an over excess of caution, or propriety
in their 'present proceedings ; they seem, somehow
or other, to lack their usual cunning in regard to
public manifestation ; or, perhaps, they are less
shamefaced—their modesty has not overcome them
on this occasicn. We, of course, do not allude to the
barefaced attempt to deter the honest and indepen-
dent burgesses of Clowance Ward at the meeting on
Wednesday ; no one who was present at that meeting
would presume to ascribe other than fair and honest
motives to the presence of a Government partisan,
and a paid one. We are not of that numerous class
of individuals who assert that that gentleman was
placed there by the Tories for the purpose of intimi-
dation ; we are loth to conceive our opponents so un-
worthy our indignation—we are clesiYous of meeting
our enemies sturdily, but openly and honestly ; if we
must fight, let the battle be one that will do credit to
either party, whatever may be its results.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
Devonport, Kept. 24.
This town is in a very great state of excitement,
as to the coming municipal elections. A great_and
powerful effort is making, no stone will be left unturned,
to gain a majority of Tories in our Town-council,
heretofore Liberal. Coercion, among the poor voters
in. our Dockyard, is going on to a great extent. It
so happens that most of the out-going menibers of the
Council, on the Ist November next, are Liberals, and
hence the struggle on the other side to replace them
by Tories ; and if they do, we shall have for the first
a Tory Mayor, and the Members' seats (Sir G. Grey
and Mr. Tufnell), I fear, will be endangered.
The following are the Liberals, contest;ng against
the Tories :—Messrs. Byers, Burnet, W. J. Little, R.
B. Oram, Condy, Palmer, Jinkin, Rowland, Easton,
and James, all staunch Liberals.

LIVERPOOL FIRES.

The subjoined paper furnishes an account of all
those dreadful calamities, in the shape of conflaga-
tions, which, since Liverpool has risen into importance
as a town, have devastated it at different times.

One of the earliest fires in this great commercial
town we find to have been in the year 1770, when the
gaol was set on fire by one James Donovan, who was
capitally convicted for the same.
The next fire on record is that of the Liverpool
Exchange, which took place on Sunday morning, the
20th of January, in the year 1795. This building,
the noblest building of the kind, without exception, of
any in the kingdom was discovered early to be on
fire, and the inside of it was entirely destroyed in less
than two hours. With the greatest difficulty the
town records, regalia, mace, sword, &c., were pre-
served. Amongst others matters destroyed, in addi-
tion to one life, were two fine paintings, executed by
Martin, and presented by him to the Corporotion ;
they were " The Murder of Macduff's family," and
" Cleopatra arming Anthony." The present Exchange
was built by Messrs. Etherington and Grindrod, in
about three years and a half; the stone was laid on the
30th of June, 1803. It is a magnificent building,
and the cost of erection was upwards of 100,0001.
The destruction by fire of the first warehouse, or
large cotton factory, occurred on the 17th of Sep-
tember, in 1796 ; it belonged to a Mr. Hervey, in the
Cheapside, Liverpool, and is supposed to have been
occasioned by the friction of one of the wheels of the
cotton machines. All its valuable contents were
consumed. In the lower part of the warehouse were
31,000 measures of wheat, belonging to Messrs. Cor-
lie, Gladstone, and Co., which, with a large quantity of
hides, rum, brandy, and other spirits, were, entirely
destroyed. During the fire, the front part of the
warehouse fell into the street, directly upon one of the
fire-engines then working, which occasioned a scene
of horror impossible to be described. Three men
were crushed to pieces on the spot ; ten more were
carried to the infirmary in a dreadful state, two of
whom died immediately, and several others were
subsequently found among the ruins.
In the February of 1797, an extensive fire entirely
consumed the warehouse of Mr. Walton, near the
Old Dock, Liverpool, with the whole of its contents,
consisting of a large quantity of manufactured cotton
goods, in two hours.
The greatest fire in this town, with the exception
of that which has just spread such dismay throughout
Liverpool, was that which occurred on the 14th of
September, in the vear 1802. On the night of that
day, the whole of the noble and extensive warehouses
fronting St. George's Dock, justly the pride of the
inhabitants, and the admiration of strangers, fell a
prey to the flames. The range of buildings from
Water-lane to Brunswick-street, with the correspond-
ing storebeu!es called France's, were, after eight
hour's burning, a prodigious mass of ruins. The
estimated damage of the property destroyed was—in
warehouses 44,5001., grain 120,000/., sugar 60,000/.,
coffee 8,500/., cotton 30,000/., sundries 60,0001.—
making in the whole a total loss of 323,000/. The fire
was occasioned, as far as it could be traced, to the
falling of a snuff of candle among shavings in a por-
ter vault. It continued burning for three months.
About two-thirds only of the loss was insured.
On the night of the 21st of September, 1805, a
large warehouse in Lower Sparling-street was totally
consumed. The upper rooms were filled with cotton,
corn, &c., the whole of which, with other property
to the estimated amount of 30,000/., was totally
destroyed.
The last fire which ranks next in destructive effect
took place on the 14th of January, in 1833. It broke
out in a paint-store on the New Quay, Liverpool,
and the materiats of oil, turpentine, tar, &c., among
which it originated, soon caused it to spread to the
large warehouses on the south and east. These were
filled with merchandise of the most valuable descrip-
tion, principally in cotton, grain, oil, and naval
stores. Fed as it was with immense masses of the
most combustible kind, it raged with quick destruc-
tion along Lancelot's Key, spread into Oldhall-street,
Union-street, and the New Quay. The front of the
warehouses in Lancelot's Quay fell forward : one man
was killed : Colonel Jordan, the inspecting officer,
had both his legs broken by the falling rums, and one
of them had immediately to be amputated. Property
to the amount of 198,000/. was destroyed, of which
150,000/. was insured. The damage separately
estimated was, in warehouses, of which there
were fourteen burnt, 28,000/. ; of dwelling-
houses, of which there were nine destroyed, 2,000/.,
and in merchandise 168,000/ So intense was the
heat from the burning pile, that the ships in the
Prince's Dock were only preserved by incessantly
wetting their sails and rigging, while flakes of fire
were constantly threatening them with conflagration.
The present fire, it will be perceived, is the very
largest of any recorded. Even at this moment the
destruction of property may not be completed, so as
to allow us to fix the enormous total of loss. The
smouldering embers have ignited and destroyed fresh
property, until half a million was estimated as the
damage.

THEATRICALS IN THE UNITED

STATES.

After losing sight of Mr. Braham and his amiable
family for several days, we at last find them on the
26th ult.; he was at Detroit, and gave a concert that
evening at the National 1:lotel, which was crowded.
The Park Theatre has now been open two nights
at reduced prices, and the experiment succeeds. The
female department, with the exception of Mrs.
Wheatley and Mrs. Vernon, is poor. The male cast
for comedy is very strong—Burton, Browne, Pla-
cide, Williams, Fisher, Barry, &c. ; still we miss
Chippendale.
The Tremont has been newly decorated, and opens
next Monday with the following company :—Mr. and
Mrs. Gilbert, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Howard, Mr. John
Green and lady, Mrs. Cramer, Miss Fanny Jones,
Mr. and Mrs. Ayling, Mr. Leman, Mr. Comer as
leader of the orchestra.

Abbott having married Miss Buloid, both of Meth
seeth unable to: appear on the stage, for they have
made irio engagement anywhere.
It is confidently stated that James Wallack is in
thimity, oe :State, and that as soon as he shall have
effected an ;arrangement with his creditors, he will
appear at the Park.
All the theatres are closed in New Orleans, and all
through the South. The St: Charles and American
are to be rebuilt shortly.
. . . _

Dinneford is doing Pretty well out West, and pur-
poses building a new theatre in Louisville.
Forest and Miss Clifton, who have been playing
together a long time, with good success, are now
playing a very brilliant and lucrative engagement at
the Chatham, under the auspices of Thorne.
_ _

Upon the whole, theatricals may now be said to be
looking up a little ; and as Congress has adjourned,
and the Tariff been passed, and the Treaty signed,
we think, with a proper degree of enterprise and pru-
dence, some of our managers may make money this
winter.—. New York Herald.

Mignonette, Reseda Odorata, now naturalized to
) our climate, is a native of Barbary. Many years
since, it was introduced to the south of France, where
it was welcomed by the name of mignonette—little
darling. This favourite plant, brought to England in
1742, is noticed by Cowper in his Task" :
" The sashes fronted with a range
Of orange, myrtle, or the fragrant weed,
The Frenchman's bailing,"
Sir Walter Scott was in error when he introduced it
into his novel,. " The Fortunes of Nigel;" its deeorat;
ng the London windows during the reign of James I.
HOAX.—The wags of the town have been highly
amused during the last few days by a -Very Capital
hoax, played upon the worthy hog of One ot our prin-
cipal inns (Yarmouth). At the time the Queen
passed through the roads, mine host and his fair part-
ner displayed their loyalty by taking a boat Mid going
off to greet her Maitsty on her way towards the the-
, tropolis. A few days after a letter was received,
bearing the Royal arms in the !tat, and purport-
ing to be a communieatiai from the Secretary of
State for the Home department; expressive Of tie gra-
tification her Majes:47 felt at thins ditplay of the loyalty
of this worthy ?Ali', and cffering, as a peculiar mark
of Royal ;savour, to confer the honour of knighthood
upon mine host. The letter being read, to his
lady she was in extacies at this Mark of Rival
condescension, at the taint Cale Okplitgilk ber opinion
that so dignified a titit Was rather too much for her
spouse to accept, when a friend stigosted qtat ii inueh
better plan might he adpt by bargaining with
some gentleman in the county who might he desirous
of obtaining such an honour, and selling, to him ttie
title, which her friend assured her the Would
transfer to the favoured indiVidual she might be
pleased to nominate. 3,000/. was the sum named, and
the lady thought so substantial a benefit being more
useful to people in business than h title without a for-
tune, was about to commission the gentleman forthwith
to commence a treaty for the sale, when a junior mem-
ber of the family expressed her indignation of the
use about to be made of the Royal favour, and thought
the title should be accepted rather than so shameful a
use should be made of it. Whether this eloquent ap-
peal:of the young lady had its full influence or not
we are by no means prepared to say. Suffice it that
on Saturday the worthy host was congratulated in
the market by a number of his friends, who, without
waiting for the Royal letters patent, greeted him by
the title peculiar to the rank of knighthood. Whether
it is the intention of the party to apply to receive the
honour we have not yet heard.—lpswich Express.
The Russian Minister of Public Instruction, ac-
cording to a letter of the 13th instant, from Warsaw,
,inserted in the Post Amp Gazette. of Frankfort, is
preparing new laws for Poland, which are to establish
a censorship, to give a new vs,t4.n2 of public edur,,ation
with additional courses or ciamination, and as to cle-•
illeatary instruction at Lowiez. '"