Star.
London, England, 1821-10-19 00:00:00

COMMON COUNCIL

Yesterday a Court of Common Council was held,
for the purpose.of receiving from the LORD MAYOR
and Sheriffs elect the Answer given by his MAJESTY
to their invitation to dine with the Corporation on
the ensuing Lord Mayor's Day.
The Report made by the LORD MAYOR and She-
rif& elect was read by the Clerk of the Court, and
stated, that immediately after the election of Lord
Mayor, on the 29th of September, they had, in cbe- I
dience to the Resolution of the Court, pas,ed on the
11th of the same month, proceeded to Lord SID-
MOUTH'S Office, in the expectation of receiving from
his Lordship his MAJESTY'S Answer to the sold Re-
solution of the Court, which had been communicated
to his Lordship by the City Remembrancer imme-
diately after it had been passed. Lord SioNtouTir
being out of town when the Deputation waived on
him, they did not see him till the 2d irritant, when
he informed them that he had laid the communica-
tion he had received from the City Remembrancer,
containing the Resolution of the Court of the 11th
of September, before his.MAJESTY, and received his
MAJESTY'S commands to i:.frrrm the Corporation that
his MAJESTY Would be on the Continent on the day
mentioned in the Resolution of the Corporation, and
that it was his MAJESTY'S desire that none of the pro-
ceedings used on that day should, on account of his
absence, be delayed.—The Report being read,
Mr. OLDHAM addressed the Court. He said, all
must regret that the objects of importance which no
doubt called his Majesty to the Continent should pre-
vent the City of London from having the opportu•
nity afforded them of testifying their attachment to
their. Sovereign in the mariner that had been cus-
tomary at the commencement of a new reign ; and it
certainly was not the lees to be regretted from the
knowledge, that had the Coronation taken place at
the time appointed, instead of being postponed, there
would have been time for his Majesty to visit Ire-
land and Hanover, and also to honour the City of
London with his presence on the day that established
usage had led them to hope that they should be so
highly honoured. However,' there could now be but
one feeling on the subject, that of deep regret at the
disappointment. It was considered by many a very
difficult matter to determine how the Court should
proceed in this painful and unexpected situation. He
was anxious, as he well knew the Court must be, to
shew all possible respect for his Majesty, and at the
same time to save the Court from any dishonour;
and, as it did not appear that the Royal Family were
invited by the Corporation sxcept on special occa-
sions, he had prepared a Relolution, which he hoped
would be found to embrace both objects. He then
read his Resolution, which stated, " that as it appeared
by the Report of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs elect,
which had been read, that the custom observed by
several successive Monarchs, of honouring the City
of London with their company to dinner on the first
Lord Mayor's Day after their Coronation must be de-
parted
from on the present occasion, in consequence
of his Majesty's absence from Great Britain ma mat-
ters of high importance, the Court hopes that his
Majesty will be graciously pleased to honour the
City of London with his presence to dinner in their
Guildhall, either on some future Lord Mayor's Day,
or on any other occasion;"

The Resolution being put, was carried unanimously,
without a single observation being made on it.
Mr. OLDHAM then moved that a copy of the Re-
solution should be transmitted to Lord Sidmouth, to
be laid before his Majesty, which was carried in the
same manner.

A motion was made that the fine paid by Mr. Al-
derman GARRATT to be excused serving the office of
Sheriff, which office he has since consented to exe-
cute, should be repaid him.

Several Members of the Court spoke in favour of
the motion, alai higkly enlogiced Alderman Garratt,
whose services as Sheriff, it was said, would be much
more valuable to the City than any fine could be.
The motion was carried unanimously.
REFUSAL TO CALL A PUBLIC MRETINO IN SOUTHWARK.
1 A Petition was presented from the High Bailiff of
Southwark, praying that he might be allowed to en-
joy his office with the same emoluments that his pre-
decessors had done.

Mr. LowtmLs moved that the Petition should be
referred to a Committee.

Mr. FAVELL said he had long lived on terms of,
friendship with the High Bailiff of Southwark; it
was therefore with great pain that he felt himself
obliged to advert to his conduct on a late occasion ;1
but he could not think he discharged his duty if he
voted for referring a Petition to a Committee, the
object of which was to give that officer an increase
of emolument, without first calling on him to explain
his conduct on the occasion of the Meeting that was
called in Southwark, to take into consideration the
dismissal of an honourable Officer from the Army.
'Could anything, said Mr. Favell, be more constitu-
tior.al, or more honourable, than, to call a Meeting
for that purpose? and yet the High Bailiff refused to
comply with the requisition of the inhabitants for an
object so praiseworthy! The practice of Sheriffs and
other officers refusing to call the People together to
express their opinions on public subjects, was be-
come frightful. It was one of the first and best rights
of citizens to assemble together on.such occasions;
and he hoped the High Bailiff could not know the

danger of his conduct, and was prepared to erplitin
it, as this Avas a time in.which it became the People
to be peculiarly jealous of their rights.
Mr. DIXON said, the only question before the Court
was, whether the petition should be referred to.a Com-
mittee to report on it? and it was not fair to take
the officer by surprise and call on him to explain his
conduct, without having given him any previous no-
tice. It was quite competent for Mr. Favell to mike
a distinct motion, requiring the officer to explain his
conduct, and giving him time to do so.
Mr. FAlTctat. said he was quite willing to makes
distinct motion on the subj2ct. Ile thought it right,
in the. first instance, to give the officer an opportu-
nity of explaining his conduct, if he chose to avail
himself of it. He certainly thought it a proper time,
when an officer asked a favour, to inquire how be
had conducted himself in his office.
Alderman BnowN thanked Mr. Favell for having
abstained from political discussion, and confined
himself to the coaduct of the officer. He con-
ceived that a public man best performed his public
duty when lie shut his eyes to party, and gave to all
fellow.subjec:: as oproituoity u, declaring their opi-
nions on public questions. When an olliccr asked
additional remuneration, it was a proper time to in-
quire into his de-;ervings ; he would therefore propose
as an Amendment, that the Committee should be
instructed to take into consideration the High Bailiff's
refusal to call a meeting of the inhabitants of South-
wark. After some discussion, the motion, as anscatled,
was carried.