tr.Cbe fartnitibtEl.

A requisition, signed by nearly one thousand citizens of London, and amongst them Many of the most respectable men in the metropolis, Was presented on Wednesday last to the Lord Mayor, calling upon him to convene an assembly of the whole constituency of the city of Lon- don, at the Guildhall, for the purpose of petitioning the House of Commons "to repeal the Septennial Act, to establish the right of 'voting by ballot at elections, and to repeal the Assessed 'rims." The Lord Mayor stated, thativithout a motaent'shesitetion he should comply with the requisition. The Rektrin Bill bad caused such an alteration in the constituency Of London, that the meetings of the electors no longer could be designated as meetings of the. Livery, and he should preside Without observing any of the forms which were formerly indispensable When the electors assembled together. He-should consider it tiibe his duty to dOnsult the CitySoliciter upon the subjeet ; but be did not 'Wein to 'eattSe the Slightest delay, and should most positively take the chair on Monday nest, at twelve for one o'clock. He, of course, was to be considered as merely a Chairman appointed to preside with ins-

partiality over the new constituency of his fellow citizens, without any reference to the questions which they might think proper to discuss.

An immense meeting of the citizens is expected ; and the requisitionists cal- culate that the Metropolitan districts will meet immediately afterwards for the purpose of discussing the same questions.— Times, January' 17th.

This must be the reaction in regard to the ballot, which the Times confidently announced a few days since to have taken place in the pub- lic mind !

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday ; at which Mr. Charles Pearson moved, that Mr. Grote, the member for the City, should have a seat in that Court on the same Bench with the Alder-

men—a privilege which was annually voted to the Sheriffs. Mr. Pearson contended, that by being present at the discussions in that Court, Mr. Grote would be enabled to perform his Parliamentary duties to the citizens of London more effectually. He said— The days weregone by when the Court could expect a high-minded, inde- pendent, and intellectual gentleman like Mr. Grote blindly to support at their bidding any measures they might think it necessary to originate in Parliament. Pay him the compliment of allowing him an honourable place in the Court ; and, as it was their desire to further such measures only as were caleulatelto promote the welfare of the citizens and the good of the whole community:Viey might safely calculate upon his zealous and official support.

At the suggestion of Mr. Dixon, the consideration of this resolution was postponed to the next Court.

Mr. Taylor gave notice of a motion relative to the claim of 2s. 9d. in the pound for tithes in the City, “ with a view to inquiry into the legality of the decision of the House of Lords thereupon."

Mr. Thomas Lott junior, who was a candidate for the office of Common Councilman for the Cordwainer's Ward, at the last election, appealed to the Court of Aldermen against the return of his opponent, on the ground that the Ward Clerk refused to grant a poll which was legally demanded on his behalf. The reason of this refusal was stated to be, the want of security for the expenses of the day; which Mr. Lott would not give, conceiving the demand to be illegal. After a consultation, the Lord Mayor declared the election to be null and void ; although it appeared that the Ward Clerk had acted according to the general custom in demanding the security from Mr. Lott. In all future vacancies, the inhabitants of most a the City Wards have determined to insist upon the residence of their Aldermen within the wards.

The very unusual number of twenty Aldermen dined at the Mansion- house on Tuesday, the day on which the first Court of Aldermen in the new Mayoralty was held. •

At a meeting of the Delegates of the Metropolitan Parishes, which took place on Wednesday, on the subject of the Assessed Taxes, Sir John C. Hobhouse (who seas present) observed that as the burden of these taxes fell principally on the metropolis, he was apprehensive•that no great assistance could be expected from the representatives of the rest of the country. Sir John, we trust, will find himself in error on this point, for we have too good an opinion of the public spirit of the ma- jority of our Members to suppose for an instant that they would be in- Oifferent to the abolition of a glaring injustice, merely because that in- justice did not touch their own pockets. Were they to attempt to legislate on such a narrow principle, they would be unworthy of their confiding representatives, who assuredly did not send them into Parlia- ment for the sole purpose of keeping a sharp look-out after the interests of number one, to the neglect of other pressing interests. The Assessed Taxes are unjust in principle, and offensive in the mode of collectioo ; and whether the oppression be partial or universal, it is still opprestive, and as such should be studiously inquired into by a Reformed Parlia- ment. But if Government fear for the revenue in consequence of the removal of such taxes, let them put on a graduated propertypitax, which will then fall on the shoulders most capable of bearing the burden. It must come to this at last, be the obstacles what they may; so the sooner some such equitable expedient is adopted, the better.—Sun.

A deputation from the Board of Congregational Ministers had an interview with Earl Grey on the 9th instant, on the subject of various civil and religious grievances under which the Dissenters of Great Bri- tain have long laboured. The deputation (consisting of the Reverend Doctors Bennett and Morison, Messrs. Burnett, Reed, and Tidman) were very courteousiy received by his Lordship, who gave respectful attention to their communications.

A Court of Directors was held at the East India House on Wed- nesday; when the following Commanders took leave of the Court previous to departing for their respective destinations—Captain Thomas Sandys, of the Warren Hastings ; Captain Robert Pattullo' of the Kellie Castle ; and Captain Charles Shea, of the Buckinghamshire, for Bengal and China.

The despatches for Bengal and China, by the ship Inglis, Captain Joseph Dudman, were closed on Thursday at the East India House, and delivered to the purser of that ship.

The annual general meeting of the Proprietors of St. Katherine's Dock Company was held on Thursday; when a half-yearly dividend of

per cent. was declared. A general statement of the affairs of the Company was made by Mr. T. Tooke, the Chairman— The yearly earnings of' 1B31 amounted to 142563/. 9s. 10d., those of 1832 to 141,321/., 18s. 8d., showing a falling off of 1,4411., 18s. 2d. The expenditure of 1831 amounted to 76,593/. 4s. 10d.; and that of 1832 to 78,7331. 2s. 34.; being an increase of 1,1391. 17s. 54. Allowing, however, for some disbursements, the payment of which had unavoidably been deferred from 1831 to 1832, the actual profits of the last yeas would have exceeded the former about 650/., had those items been paid at the proper time. The import trade of the port of London during the past year, as compared with the preceding five years, had decreased in an extraordinary degree. In 1831, the ships and tonnage, British and foreign, were5,610 ships, 1,416,642 tons ; in 1832, they were but 4,018ships, 776,420 tons; making the decrease in the past year 1,592 ships, and 265,222 tons. This defalcation might be attributed to various causes not of a permanent character—the cholera, the state of political affairs both at home and abroad, and the diminuition in the importa- tion of foreign corn aud flour ; but the Chairman was of opinion that the chief cause was the accumulation of stores beyond the demand in the markets and our own con- sumption; so that the decline in the shipping trade in the past year, was positively preparing the way for its rise in proportion as the stores became exhausted.

The Horticultural Society held their first meeting for the present year at their great room in Resent Street, on Tuesday.; Dr. Alexander .Henderson, 'Vice-President, in the chair. The Assistant Secretary, Professor Lindley, read an interesting paper, received from Mr. Atkin- son, upon the quality of the thnber obtained from the different species

of British oaks ; and some fine specimens of flowers and fruits were presented.