The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-05-25 00:00:00

Co (.11771 OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Lord Mager held a Court of Common Council
ye%tertlay.et 44nildhull, for the purpose of considering
a motion to be ni.ide by Mr. Alderman Waithnian, re-
lative to the Or.illans' Fund.
. ills Lordship laid before the Court a comniivtication
from the Uoart of Lieutenancy, relative to the London
Militia, to,4e•her with A bill proposed to be breught
Into Parliament in relation thereto, which was read
and ret, rred t:.) the Militia Committee.

RT LTC Of NICWOATIS%
Mr. OLDHAM said, he rose to call the attention of
the Court to the circumstance of the Grand Jury
.haring been lately refused access to Newrate. He
haew it would be very indeli: ate to enter at present
irto the sulject, as he knew it was put under the con-
rs of the Justus, namely, as to the right
which the Jury had of vi!iting the prison. Should the
Judges decide ►hat no such right existed, he would
certainly on a fame day bring forward some motion to
a►skesetar regulation on the subject. Ile certainly int-
put7d no blame to the respectable Keeper of Newgate,'
who was at that moment placed in a very delicate si-
tuation, from the charge which he had at the time,
tut then it was proper le have it ascertained, whether
the Jary had such a right, or whether it was a mere
matter of courtesy. He would wait to hear the result
ut the Jadges' deliberation on the subject before he
made any motions but shmtld they decide that it was
u.erely a matter of courtesy, he would move fur err-
tun regalationsto permit the Jury, at proper periods,
to enter the prison, and visit its different parts.
Mr. N. WlLLtaxs observed, that while the right
was refused, the Keeper of the prison was placed in
very peculiar circumstances, from his having at that
tirdt persons in custody who were under charges of a
most serious nature. He was sure that the worthy
Gentleman who held that situation had no wish what-
veer to obstruct the Jury, excepting when he felt him-
s:if bound to do so from a sense of imperative duty.

ORPIIANt. Pt ND.

When this question tame befdre the Court, it Wes
intimated by the Lord Mayor, that a paper, drawn up
by Sir William Curtis, was in readiness to be pre-
sented, and that it contained the wor:hv Baronet's
sentiments aid defence upon the subject, to be brought
fi,rward by 3lr. Alderman Waithmau. Alderman
C Iris was not in Court.

Alderman WAtrumsx said, he could not consent to
the paper read. He by no means thought it just
t` at a Member should anticipate a question.
Mr. WILLIAMS (Smithfield) thought such a proceed-
irg quite unprecedented. Although the request came
from the Chair, he could rot help saying it was wrong.
If the Worthy Baronet thought a charge was to be
brought against him, he should attend the Court, and
state what he had so say after the motion. The Court
wculd, however, go into the merits of the case, as if the
Worthy Baronet was not in existence.
Alter some words from Mr. James and Mr. T. N.
Williams, the motion for the reading of the Paper was
withdrawn.

Alderman Wat rntt,►N said, be did not come forward
with a motion of a personal nature by any means. If,
bvvrever, somejnclividuals considered riseffiselves
impli-
cated, it was so fault of his, and he should be most
anxious to beat the Worthy Barone•, or any other
pemsimoooonotioisioniMimuif. lijiabookismiutaiime
of everything pemenal, and sheehreenesnenee by stating
t'-e nature of the Orphans' Fund, of which he had
been ignorant for twenty years. Several imputations
had been cast by the House of Commas upon the Cor-
poration of London, and it was well that the Orphans'
Fund did not come under the direction of that Court,
as that Fund supplied men with the grounds of anim-
adverting in the strongest manner. The Court of Alder-
men was by ancient law &Court of Record, and the likeTP-
bets of it were considered the guardians of several funds
ui an important description, and were compellable, upon
pan of imprisonment, to invest the Orphans' Fund is
the Chamberlain's office. That hind was fur the protec-
tion of the property of Orphan Children of the City of
Landon ; but, at the period of the Revolution, the pro-
p:rty was destroyed. In the first year after the Revo-
lution, application was made to Parliament to raise a
fund to replace that which had been destroyed: but,
till the reign of William, no decisive step was taken
for the benefit of the Orphans. A duty was then its-
posed, for their aid, upon wines and freedoms of citi-
sets, as well as a duty of 10d. per chaldron on coals.
Tke latter was the only duty under the authority of
.Ike Court of Aldermen. The other duties were► con-
trolled by a Committee. The surpluses were Se be
ap?lied t.► discharge the principal. It appeared upOo
examination before a Committee of the House of Coal-
men% that the sow of 10,000/. remained unappropri-
ated, and that a vast sum of money had not been paid
into the Chamberlain's office. This practice was re-
probated by the Committee as of the most injurious
iescription, and not justifiable upon any principle
whatever. It might be said, that as the fund was un-
der the power of the Aldermen, that Court had nothing
a.' will M. VMS AISSOINI, asiebt fairly he made if

the Aldermen acted as guardians, but wilco the appli-
cation was made to Parliament for the sum of 15,0001.
to aid in building bridges, and the Orphans' Fund
was named as the security. the act became the act of
the Corporation, amd the Corporation were entitled to
the management of the Fund. In 1772 an. Alder-
man was appointed Collector, with a salary of 1001.
a-year for his trouble. In the time of Alderman
Harley a new regulation was made, and the Court
of Aldermen decided. that mo better mode of collect-
ing could be devisod. 1*" s said that accounts
were to be belt of fire or hundred ships by
the Crillector, sad that other t and great .risk
is • vitt to hUisilatilsad. As is fact to be
toiliorindtivcry W *be banker, add
*ae tibia Islilo a• once wiessatii;
lar.
Oa tisk *di coolers* to laws than Oa e
01001111111 . 1•11. It isass(idot sust3ty napdrod
aullit . tins as Jammu rat re-
ianibid lilt" * . thin win* thu Corporation won its
iiillarnickbrd mats. The es foe collecting sow
Ai as 100/. a-year. I! a gratuity was tocsin& it
it fgbi bare been eras to the uisaibers of the Court
. t Aidoraus in -another sirape. Another Adelman
i ad a salary of NW. weir. as collector ot theciatirs
, n wines, and had also always the coatialad a( a Iwo
•rti of money, which might be turned to better ar-
c. unt. The money is the hands of the *Cann of