The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-05 00:00:00

NOCEEDI NOS OF THE COURT OF ALDERMEN.
OhIIfTED IX VIZ COURT CIRCULAR or riTIADAY.

CITY BUSINESS.

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At a. tei tiyions Court, when the death of Sir J. Ramer
was not ited,and which hal occasioned a vacancy in the
office of Receiver of the Orphans' Dues on Wine, it was
referred to a Committee, to consider and report as to the
nature, ditties, and emoluments of that appointment.—
There was nothing remarkable in this reference. except
that Sir Richard Carr Glyn embraced that opportunity of
eel larinte there was another office of a similar nature in
the gift or4f the Court—namely, the Receiver of the Or-
-I.aans, Dues on Coals, which bad usually been held by
the senior member of that Court. In the event of ava ,
eancy in that appointment, he (Sir Richard) would be
the senior Alderman, and he now wished the Court to'
lut:tle•stand that, whenever that event might happen, hel
Wonld not accept the situation.
The Committee. as noticed in the circular, made their ,
rept r• at the Court held on Friday. It stated generally,
that the amouint of Orphans' Dues on wine had consider
ably decreased of late, and was now abort 3,000/. a-year ;
shed concluded by rec 1111 l unending. that the Receiver to be
nted should he allowed rd. per cent. upon the gross
re. As, subject with respect to the balances, to the re-
gulations of the late statute. The late act, it will he re-
cteal, authorized the retaining a three months' ba-
Lowe in hand.
the motion that the Court do agree with this re-
port' a conversation of considerable lengt% eosued, seve-
ral of the naewhers expressing it as their opinion, that the
reeelier slanald be paid a fixed salary of 100 f. a-year, and
pay all monies received by him direct into the Chamber
of the City, and an amendment of Sir James Shaw's to
that effect las subsequently made and negatived. An-
other amendment was then moved by Mt. Alderman
WAITHMAS. to the following effect--eviz., that the securi-
ties to be token from the receiver should be reduced one-
half as to their amount, and that the money received
should be immediately paid into the Ch amber. Thus
leaving the remuneration to the receiver, as recommended
in the report, viz., 51. per cent, on the sums collected.
Mr.Alderaran BROWS sccondatd this amendment, which
was also strongly supported by the Aldermen Gatratt,
Vensbla s, and Sir J. Shaw, all of whom expressed their
readiness to concur in every proper mode of rendering
assistance to such of the members of that Court as might
by the vicissitudes of fortune, he reduced to require it,
while, at the same time. they deprecated doing this by
the conferring sineenres. The receiver of the Orphans'
Dues on wines hail duties to perform. hut the office bad
been made a complete sinner-, those duties having been
performed by a deputy. cud for a very small salary, and
they objected to a continuation of such a system.

Alderman ATKIN^. and Sir CLAVDICS S. Henrea op-
' posed the amendment, the latter of whom said he thought
they were about to fritter away their own rights. This
office had always been held by aldermen, and he thought
ita useful and proper provision for a decayed member.
It was not, however, merely this situation about which
the supporters of the amendment were so anxious; there
was another office, and a more valuable one—the Receiv-
er of the Orphans' Dues on Coals—which had always
been held by an alderman, that they bad in view, and
were desirous of regulating ; and he therefore -wished to
pat tl,e Court on its guard against the precedent which
the adoption of this amendment would establish, which
wocld be referred to and acted upon in future, whenever
a vacancy occurred in the latter situation to which be
ha I ailed/oh
Mr. Alderman Baowx and the other supporters of the
amendment, avowed that it was the principle for which
they were contending, and not the mere regulation of
this office, where the balances in band had always been
comparatively small.
The Loan lIIITOR said, his opinion was decidedly
opposed to the amendment. He hesitated not broadly'.
to avow that he was favourable to sinecures; be thought
them the best mode of remunerating former services, and
confuse! he should regret to see them done away with.
/is held that tbat Court ought to have such situations in
their Rift to confer upon any of their brethren, whose
past services and reduced circumstances might deserve
and re ;mire such a provision. These were his semi-
meats. Ind however unpopular they might be, he would
openly and candidly avow them.
Mr. Alderman Warrnoran observed, that when the
winciple of his amendment was contended for, at the
tame the late statute was under consideration, it was
objecTed to upon the ground that it was absolutely ne-
cessary to bare persons of opulence in these situations,
from the amount of the securities required ; and that the
retention of the balances, their safety being secure by
the relaonsi,ility of the receiver, was the proper mode
of retnaneration ; and it was now opposed npon argu-
ments the very reverse, and the system contended for as
a provision for a decayed member, whose circumstances
rendered it necessary to take the securities from the de-
re!, instead of the principal. He should be always
ready t ; r-lieve a brother Alderman in adversity ; hut
he thought it more honourable, both to the member and
to the Co art itself, at once to vote him an annuity, thin
to confer upon him an office which was a complete sine-
cure.
Aldermen Brown. Barrett, and 'enables, concurred in
these sentiments. The amendment was then carried, and
the report, with the amendment, agreed to.
The COURT then proceeded to elect a receiver of the
Orphans' Dues on Wine, and Mr. Alderus an Cox, and
Mr. John tioldham, of the Custom-house, who had fur
malay years been the late Sir John Earner's deputy in the
offices, were sonduated as candidates.
Several members protested against the appointment of
an Alderman to this office. They expressed their wil-
lingness to act liberally toward Mr. Alderman COX, in
' any proper mode that might he suggested, hut were de-
cidedly of opinion that he should give up his gown on
becornieg a candidate, as it would be highly improper
that lie, as a Magistrate, should hold a situation which
wits merely a sinecure; and urged the claims of Mr.
Coltihatn, his facilities in the office from Isis situation in
the Utt,tem-bouse, and his haying performed its duties so
many veers at a very inadequate salary, in the expectat-
tion'ot succeeding to the situation, on the demise of his
prim rip sl, Sir John Earner.
Sir Ct. tuotus S Iluxrea had opposed the amend-
ment, but as the Court had thought lit to adopt it, he must
say he .concurred with the worthy aldermen in opinion
that Mr. Alderman Cox ought to resign his gown on be-
coming a candidate.
Other alderanea urged the put services of Mr. Abler-
man Cox, and his present unmerited and depressed' si-
tuation.
The Court •hen proceeded to the Election, when titer a
appeared—For
Mr. Aid-wman ('ox Mr. Goldham
The Lord Mayor Sir James Shaw
• 144 John Peering Alderman Walthman
Alderman J. J. Smith Aldermen thwart
Sie C. Flower Alderman Vulgates
Alderman Birch Alderman Brown
Alderman Atkins Alderman Key.
Alderman Laras
alderman Tnompson.
Whereupon Mr. Ald, Cox Was declared duly elected.
The Comet, upon the motion of Mr. Ald. Birch, una-
nimously voted the sum of 200/. to the widow of the late
Sir John Kamer, in consideration of the depressed dr.
vilinetsnees in which his family were left, his pat services
to the city, and the splendour with which he had gone
tbrotte; the various fivie offices ; with an understand•
jot. .: • 1:.. sa.n: o!: alit! be continued annaally.—Ad-
martel