27 MARCH 1852, Page 7

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A Common Hall of the Liverymen of London was held at the Guild- bin on Wednesday, convened by the Lord Mayor " on a requisition signed_by. several merchants and others," to consider the Corporation Re- form Nis' The Lord Mayor presided ; supported on the platform by various City notables, and with about six hundred Liverymen in the body of the halL Deputy Harrison moved a resolution, to the effect that the meeting approved the principle of the bill now before Parliament for the purpose of extending the municipal franchise. His speech was much interrupted. Mr. Dillon seconded the resolution. Several citizens now spoke is strong opposition to the Corporation Reform Bill, as an invasion of their rights as Liverymen, and a scattering of those rights among a a foreign body " [the resident non-freemen paying taxes.] Mr. N. Clarke, Citizen and Mercer, moved an amendment on the resolution, to the effect that the meeting viewed with alarm the proposed bill, which would destroy the independence and jurisdiction of the body of Livery- men, Mr. Taylor, Citizen. and Master of the Plumbers Company, se- conded the amendment, and spoke on it ; and he was followed by several other citizens sharing his views. In the end, "the amendment was car- ries by en overwhelming majority, and amidst tremendous cheering." On the motion of Citizen and Blacksmith Finlay, seconded by Citizen and Spectaclemaker Masterman, a Committee was formed, consisting of two members of each company, with their several clerks, to watch the interests of the Livery, and to take such steps as might be deemed de- sirable.

The dispute between the coalwhippers and the employers still con- tinues, with increasing bitterness. Registered men have been fined for assaulting labourers who have worked at a low price ; while the master of a collier has been fined 51. for breaking the law in not giving the re- gistered hands the option of unloading his ship at the price he subse- quently paid other men. • - • '- The Judge of the Marylebone County Court has pronounced a cab-pro- prietor liable for the loss of luggage, even though nothing be paid for its conveyance ; and a Jury has given a gentleman 34 damages for a box which was missing.

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Wednesday, Mr. James Phineas Davis and Mr. David John Davis, brothers, solicitors in Holies Street, were tried for an assault on Mr. John O'Brien. The prosecutor deposed that he was vio- lently assaulted by the brothers in Jermyn Street. The defence set up,. by mere allegation, was that O'Brien was the aggressor ; and in cross-examina- tion the counsel for the prisoners endeavoured to make it appear that the

prosecutor was not worthy of belief. In answering the questionsThehe said, " There's a libel in every .question you ask me."

cross-examination established that he had been a duellist ; that he is a turf character, and a " defaulter" ; and that he has been in prison : but these admissions were trifles compared with those which the counsel endeavoured to get from him. Mr. Ballantine, in behalf of the prisoner James Davis, severely attacked O'Brien, and concluded a speech of bitter invective against him by calling on the Jury not to be- lieve what he had stated on oath. After all this, no witnesses were called for the defenee.,The Jury pronounced both prisoners guilty. The Deputy. Assietant-Judge, Mr. Witham, said the Court had no difficulty as to what it should do. The defence set up was infamous—the throwing of dirt at the prosecutor ; and the sentence of the Court was, that each of the defendant* pay a fine of 501., and be imprisoned until the fine were paid.