The Sun. — 1836-01-30 (London, England)

THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION  OF THE CITY OF LONDON.  Yesterday the Committee of the whole Court upon the Municipal Institutions of the City met at the Guildhall. The LORD MAYOR in the Chair. Mr. PRITCHARD moved that application be made to Lord John Russell for a copy of the Report of the Municipal Inquiry Commissioners at the earliest possible period, and to receive a deputation of the Committee to confer with.him previously to the introduction of any Bill into Parliament for the Reform of the Corporation of London. The •resolution was agreed to unanimously, and it was resolved that a copy of the resolution should be signed by the Town Clerk, and communicated to Lord John Russell.  Mr. LAWRENCE said that seeing some of the Adermen present, he expected to hear them say something about a Reform in their Court, especially as that body was likely to be very much affected by the approaching measure. It would be desirable to know whether they would propose to vacate their seats at once, and whether they would be satisfied with triennial or septennial elections to the gown.— (Hear.) A matter of the kind would come better from the Aldermen themselves. It was desirable to know, too, whether they were disposed to give up the power they were in the habit of exercising, of giving pensions and increasing salaries ; and as they were said, too, to be so ripe and anxious for reform, whether they were, to show their sincerity, willing to give up their exclusive privileges ? Sir PETER LAURIE was not able to answer for his brethren what they might be willing to give up, or what to retain. For his part, he was ready to yield part of what the Aldermen now possessed. Alderman HARMER said it would be desirable to adopt a resolution as to the privileges which they all wished to maintain.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that the citizens of London ought not to be deprived of their right to elect their representatives annually, or to elect their own Magistrates.--1-(Cheers.) For his part he was desirous of going to the constituent body periodically, and he thought that the Court of Aldermen ought not to possess the power of using the City funds.--(Hear.) Mr. JUPP here desired that the reports of the Committee of the whole Court should be read. • This having been done— Mr. PRITCHARD said, if it was the opinion of the Court that it would be better to proceed to the discussion of the important matters contained in the reports which had been just read, he should be prepared to do so, although it was obvious to all 'that there were many propositions contained in those reports which it would be desirable to modify and alter.—( Hear.) Mr. C. PEARSON said, it was almost too much of Mr. Lawrence to begin the process of conciliation by requiring the Aldermen to commit felo de se, by not only surrendering the greater part of the privileges which they now exercised as a body, but positively by laying down their very existence as Aldermen. It was within the compass of probability that that body might be convinced by argument of the necessity which there existed for them to surrender their prejudices to the spirit of the times ; but they were not in a fit state to make such groat conceasione !Lat. time- 14e was satisfied that the interests of the citizens demanded the entire abolition of the Court of Aldermen, as a Court. In reform of the Corporation abuses he was prepared to go as far as any man living—(cheers)—but this he would say, if the measure to be introduced in the Legislature was to take from the inhabitant householders of the ward the annual election of the Common Council, and the periodical election of their Magistrates, and from the inhabitants at large the choice of their Mayor and Sheriffs, he would rather see the present Constitution of the City retained with all its faults, than he would he would have it exchanged for stipendiary Justices and Crown-appointed Magistrates, as was the case in the General Municipal Bill.—(Cheers.) Mr. Pearson concluded by moving a resolution to the effect stated in his speech. After a few observations from other Members the motion was agreed to, and a Sub-committee was appointed.— Adjourned.