gbe Alletropolis.

On Wednesday, being St. Thomas's Day, elections of members of the Common Council took place in the several wards of the City. Ge- nerally speaking, the elections did not make much change in the state of parties. In several wards the old members were reelected,—namely, in the wards of Aldersgate, Bread Street, Bassishaw, Cripplegate-with- out, Cheap, Dowgate, Langbourne, Portsoken, Vintrj.r, and WalbrOok. In most cases of new members being elected, the politics of the retiring members or their substitutes are not stated ; so that the political colour of the new election does not appear.

Besides the ordinary business of election, two public questions came under discussion—the Corn-laws, and the Income-tax. In Aldersgate, Mr. Ward moved a resolution condemning the Corn-laws, and also the conduct of some members of the Common Council in the discussion on the 8th December. Mr. R. Besley moved as an amendment the follow- ing resolution ; which was carried- " That this Wardmote, after having examined the resolutions agreed to by the Common Council, cannot but regret, that while the Common Council is expressing so strongly its abhorrence of had laws, it makes no effort to reform some of the laws under its own control, which inflict a much deeper injury on the population of this city than those which they seek to procure to be repealed: and they recommend to the Common Council to apply themselves to the amendment of the laws which affect the commerce of the port of London, to the Corporation-regulations, and to the reduction of those monstrous legal and other expenses, which are now watched over only in a loose and unbusioess-like manner, but which require the application of the pruning-knife of economy, and the adoption of some other check than that now provided." In the course of the discussion, Sir Peter Laurie stated the important fact, that "with regard to the Corn-laws, they involved a principle upon which he had not yet come to any conclusive opinion." In Farringdon-Without, a resolution was carried requesting the repre- sentatives of the Wardmote, both Parliamentary and Municipal, to support the repeal of "all protecting laws and regulations." In Bishopsgate, all the candidates except Mr. Welch, a Conserva- tive, were for the repeal of the Corn-laws; in the Ward of Tower, all of 47 -P. them were Repeaters; and Coleman Street Ward added two to the op- . ponents of the Corn-laws in the Council.

In Langbourne Ward, the Income-tax was the subject of animadver- sion. Mr. Gude denounced the surcharges-

A short time since, the public were troubled to appeal against high charges in the shape of window-duties; and now they were called upon to either lusse 1

their time in appealing against, or consent to pay the enormous amoun of surcharges made on house-property to the Income-tax. In the pariah of St. Edmund the King, a recent survey had been made by the Income-tax S s- veyor ; and the result was that they imil all been assessed at ten per cent more to the Assessed Taxes, so that they might be enabled to whip up the amount to a similar extent with regard to the Income-tax. (Cries of" Shame 1")

He moved a resolution-

" That the inquisitorial Property and Income-tax, having been imposed for the express purpose of raising money to enable her Majesty's Government to carry on the war in India and China, now happily terminated, it was the opi- nion of the Wardmote that every endeavour should be especially used by the citizens of London to obtain the repeal of so odious and inquisitorial an impost."

Mr. Smith defended the Income-tax— •

He would contend that the commercial world had derived more benefit from the alteration in the Provision-duties than injury inflicted on them by the Income-tax. The price of corn had been reduced ; and bread was surely now cheap enough at 6d. per loaf for second price and 7d. for the best. (Cries of " Oh I " and " Hear, hear 1") The alteration in the Tariff had worked wonders : pork was to be had 50 per cent cheaper; wheat 50 per cent ; timber 50 per cent ; currants, raisins, coffee, and sugar at lower prices. Now he would assert, that it was far better that they should have a reduction in these articles than get rid of the taxes upon property end income." He moved a resolution, that other taxes should be reduced in prefer- ence to the Income-tax. But, after some discussion, a resolution was carried in the sense of Mr. Gude's, omitting the clause which asserted that the tax was levied to defray the war-expenses in India and China. Another resolution proposed by Mr. Gude, was caned unanimously- " That the Wardmote could not separate without expressing its disapproba- tion of the conduct of the Surveyor of Taxes, in the shameful attempts to sur- charge the inhabitants upon the rents of their respective houses; conduct most oppressive after the recent survey to increase the Window-duty-and 10 per cent on Assessed Taxes, the house-property in the ward having then been as- sessed to the full value."

The Ward of Tower passed a resolution-

" That it is the opinion of this Wardmote, that the Income-tax is a war. tax, and should be a War-tax only. That it is odious, inquisitorial, and vexa- tious, repugnant to the feelings and derogatory to the independence of English- men ; and should, in consequence of the peace with China and India, be forth- with repealed."

Yesterday, at the close of the poll which took place, among others, iir the Ward of Cripplegate-within, a resolution was moved condemningc the expenditure of the Corporation, the unnecessary imposts, and that exemption of London from the Municipal Reform Act. An amend- ment was carried, requesting the members for the Ward to promote all practicable reforms in the Corporation "consistent with upholding the dignity of the Chief Magistrate and becoming the ancient institutions of the City."

A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, for the transaction of a variety of business before the Christmas recess. Among other things, a report of the Police Committee, recommending the appoint- ment of two Koper persons as Inspectors of Weights and Measures to act with the Wardmote Inquests was agreed to; 25/. was allowed to Mr. Robert Jackson on account of an accident which he sustained in the procession on Lord Mayor's Day ; Mr. William Pritchard, the newly-elected High Bailiff of Southwark, made the usual declaration and took the oaths of office; the reports of several Ward Inquests were received, and directions issued thereupon.

At the weekly meeting of the Marylebone Board of Directors and Guardians of the Poor, held on Friday, great astonishment was mani- fested when the Secretary, Mr. Thorne, laid before the Board a notice he had received from the Income-tax Commissioner, assessing the Marylebone Workhouse to the Income and Property-tax at the annual value of 2,6391.; the duty of 7d in the pound amounting to 761. 198. 5d. Mr. Gibson said this was the most monstrous demand he had ever heard. He had expected that the successful termination of the Chinese war would have obviated the necessity for the Income-tax altogether : but he wished to know whether it was not the Duke of Portland who derived all the benefit on income from that workhouse that was to be derived, and who therefore ought to be assessed to the Income-tax in- stead of the Board? Mr. Thorne said, the Duke of Portland was the ground-landlord at a rent of 59/. per annum. Mr. Rathbone believed there was a clause in the Income and Property-tax Act, expressly ex- empting all charitable institutions from assessment ; and as he conceived that workhouses for the reception and maintenance of the poor could not be looked upon in any other light than as charitable establishments, he thought the Board ought to claim exemption. After some discus- sion, the Board unanimously resolved to appeal against the assessment.

Mr. Edward Welsh, the Surveyor of Taxes in the district comprising the City of London and the Inns of Court and Chancery, has written a letter to the Morning Chronicle to deny the assertion of that paper, that the "great activity on the part of the Surveyors and Assessors to in- crease the amount of the returns proceeds from a determination formed at head-quarters, that the amount the tax was originally estimated to realize, shall, under all circumstances, be wrung from the people." "g" says Mr. Welsh, "the screw,' which you say you have' under- stood' it became necessary to apply, had been directed to be used, surely I should have heard something to that effect ; but, strange to say, Mr. Editor—and notwithstanding the authority upon which you generally write—I most positively assert that neither directly nor indi- rectly have such directions been issued ; and I therefore unequivocally deny the truth of your statement."

The Metropolitan Anti-Corn-law meetings continue. There was a numerous meeting of the Marylebone associators on Saturday ; at which Mr. G. Daniell asserted that there had recently been a great progress in the district in favour of Repeal. On Monday, the St. Giles's and Bloomsbury Anti-Corn-law Association held their first meeting. On Wednesday, the Fourth Section of the Association met at the Maryle- bone Literary and Scientific institution, about 700 in number ; and among them Mr. Milner Gibson, Sir De Lacy Evans, and Colonel Thompson.

A quarterly general meeting of the Proprietors of East India Stock was held on Wednesday. Mr. David Salomons moved for a statement of any

loan or loans raised in India since the commencement of the Afghan war, and the protest of-Mr. Tucker or any other Director against the war. Mr. Salomons considered the policy of Lord Auckland a great blunder, and he thought it to the honour of the present Government that they had changed it ; although he did not approve of the terms in which the change of policy had been announced by the Governor- General. The Chairman said that the accounts were in too imperfect a shape to be produced ; but he stated that a loan at 5 per cent had been subscribed in India to the amount of 3,8000,000/. The motion was ne- gatived. Mr. Lewis moved for papers relating to the Rajah of Satin- rah; but the motion was postponed. Mr. Sullivan moved a resolution recommending the employment of native Indians in the civil adminis- tration of their own country, as just, economical, and politic. The Chairman intimated that there was already a disposition to do so ; and he hoped that the Court would not think it necessary to give the Direc- tors any further instructions on the subject. The motion was with- drawn.

A special meeting of the Consulting Council of the British Associa- tion for Emigration and Colonization was held at the London Tavern yesterday, to receive the report of a Committee of Inquiry into the charges preferred against the Association, its present position, and future means. The report, which was highly favourable, was signed "Charles Sheriff, Chairman, A. Leslie, J. W. H. Barrow, Thomas Ralph, J. Warly Smith." The most material passage is the following para- graph— " That the whole of the charges which have been brought against the Asso- ciation, founded on some recent proceedings in the Mansionhouse, were un- founded in truth, and wholly nnsustained by evidence; and that the conduct of the Alderman, then the Chief Magistrate of the City of London, in writing the letter to the Duke of Argyll, which has led to the withdrawal of his Grace and other influential noblemen, for the present, from the list of the friends and supporters of the Association, was entirely premature, unauthorized, and un- justifiable."

However, the lateness of the departure of the emigrant-ship Barbados for Prince Edward Island was regretted, and as a precedent con- demned.

In the Court of Common Pleas, Cook and others, the assignees of William Hitchcock, the bankrupt linendraper of Regent Street, brought an action against Mr. Pritchard, a gentleman of property and brother of the bankrupt's solicitors, to recover 2,000/. and interest, alleged to have been paid to the defendant by undue and fraudulent preference ; and the action was tried on Tuesday. Towards the end of 1840, Mr. Hitchcock asked his solicitors to raise for him a loan ; and at their in- stance Mr. Pritchard advanced to him 1,7851., taking a bill of exchange for 2,0001. with a lease as collateral security. Afterwards' Mr. Pritchard made Hitchcock a further loan on the guarantee of Mr. George Hitch- cock for the whole sum. On the 13th August 1841, the bill for 2,000/. was overdue ; Mr. Pritchard instructed his brother to enforce payment ; Messrs. Marsden and Pritchard accordingly threatened legal proceed- ings; and the whole amount was paid to Mr. Pritchard's banker, be- tween the 18thand 21st August. At that time, Messrs. Marsden and Pritchard had in their hands documents showing William Hitchcock's state of-bankruptcy., and at the same period, goods worth 2,600/. at the cost price were sold by him through a commission-broker for about 1,7501. For the defence, the Attorney-General contended, that the very fact of Mr. Pritchard's brother inducing him to make the loan, proved that they were not cognizant of Hitchcock's impending bank- ruptcy ; and that with respect to Hitchcock's own motives, he did not give a fraudulent preference, because he acted under compul• non and was not a free agent. The Lord Chief Justice instructed the Jury to give a verdict according to their belief, that the bankrupt and his solicitors were aware of the bankrupt's state of his affairs be- tween the 18th and 21st August, or otherwise. The Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff; damages 2,000/.

At Bow Street, on Saturday, Patterson was summoned on a Govern- ment prosecution for exhibiting blasphemous publications for sale. George Clarke, his shop-boy, appeared, and stated that his master was out of town, and he did not know when he would return. On being asked if any of Mr. Patterson's friends were present, he pointed out a boy ; who, on being interrogated, refused to give his name or any further information. The counsel for the prosecution said, that Government, though called upon to punish the offending parties, were inclined to be lenient ; and before resorting to the harsher measure of a warrant, they required a second summons to be issued, warning Patterson, that unless he attended and disclosed the names of the writers of the papers, a warrant would be issued for his apprehension. The application for the summonses was granted.

On Tuesday, Mr. Philip Green, a merchant, was charged with steal- ing a piece of paper from Mr. Patterson's window. He went into the shop on Monday, told the boy to pull down a placard, and on refusal pulled it down himself and took it away. The shop-boy gave him in custody to a Policeman. The placard was produced in court : it was to the same effect as the one torn down by Mr. Bruce. In reply to Mr. Jardine, the Magistrate, Clarke, the shop-boy, said that his master had told him to pat the placard in the window. Mr. Jardine said there was no difficulty whatever about the nature of the charge ; for it was not at all like a theft, the object of the accused being only to take down the papers in order to bring the subject into a state of prosecu- tion. If Patterson had to complain of any thing, he might, if he thought proper, bring an action for trespass. As Mr. Jardine thought Mr. Green had no intention of committing a theft, he should not have been taken into custody on such a charge ; and he therefore might be discharged.

The following conversation ensued— Mr. Patterson wished it to be distinctly stated by the Court, if the protection of the Police was to be withdrawn from him ; and if the accounts that appeared Iii the newspapers were correct ?

Mr. Jardine said be had nothing to do with such matters.

Mr. Patterson—" Can I take out a warrant against Mr. Bruce for robbery?" Mr. Jardine—" What is the nature of the robbery?" Mr. Patterson—" He came to my shop, and having broken my windows, took from them a paper which still remains in his possession, or in that of the Police."

Mr. Jardine said, be must know a great deal more about the matteOref.ore be could aseume that Mr. Bruce had committed a robbery.

Mr. Patterson again asked, if he was not to be allowed the protection of the Police?

Mr. Jardine replied, he was not to sit in the court to answer such questions; and requested to know what was the nature of Patterson's application ?

Mr. Patterson—" I want a warrant against Mr. Bruce."

Mr. Jardine—" You must state on what grounds." Mr. Patterson—" To keep the peace, he having threatened to break every bone in my body; and I have a witness to prove it." The boy Clarke again stepped forward, and said, that when Mr. Bruce came on Tuesday, he threatened to break every bone in his master's body ; and he also stole a paper, for which witness gave him in charge.

Mr. Jardine Inquired if he had seen Mr. Bruce since that occurrence?

The boy answered in the negative. Mr. Jardine—" It was with reference to the paper in question ?"

Boy—" Yes, it was."

Mr. Jardine said he was certain there n as no danger to be apprehended from Mr. Bruce.

Mr. Patterson—" Am I to understand that no redress will be afforded me ? " Mr. Jardine—" It is not in my power to grant you any under existing cir- cumstances."

A Mr. Abrahams came forward to state that he was the bookseller's landlord; and that, being a strict Jew, he regretted that such persons had got on his premises, and would have great pleasure in affording assistance to the authorities to put down such a nuisance.

On Tuesday, Mr. T. Pearce, a corn-merchant of Queenhithe, was charged with stealing several written placards from the shop. Mr. Pat- terson requested to have the case postponed, as he was not prepared with evidence : but Mr. Twyford refused, because the case was among the night-charges, with which it was customary to proceed in their usual order ; and as sufficient time was given for persons making complaints to be prepared with the necessary evidence, he saw no reason to depart from the general rule. The complainant then called the shop-boy, Clarke ; who was subjected to a preliminary examination— Mr. Twyford said—" Now, my boy, before I allow you to take the Holy Scriptures in your hand to be sworn, I must ask you a question or two. Do you believe in a future state ; I mean by that Heaven and the Deity ? " Clarke—" I can't say any thing about that : I think I am not old enough to judge of such a matter."

Mr. Twyford—" After such an answer, I do not consider myself justified in allowing you to be sworn ; consequently, I cannot receive your evidence. (Ad- dressing Patterson.) Have you any other witnesses?" Patterson—" No, I have not."

Mr. Twyford (to the prisoner)—" You are discharged, Sir."

Mr. Pearce left the court.

Mr. Irwin L. Willes has sent to the Morning Post a narrative of his unsuccessful endeavours to call Patterson to account-- " On the 4th November, in consequence of having seen exhibited in the window of this miscreant, Patterson, a libel of a most horrible nature on the Deity and our Redeemer, couched in language which called forth the strongest expressions of indignation from every respectable person who perused it, I took upon myself the painful task of copying it, and proceeded with it to Bow Street. When presented to the Magistrate, I requested him to grant me a summons against Patterson, for having exhibited the libel in his window, contrary to the provi- sions of the 15th clause in the 47th chapter of the 26 and 33 of Victoria ; and at the same time I handed a copy of the libel to him. The worthy Magistrate, after expressing his detestation at the horrible libel, regretted he could not comply with my request for the following reasons: first, that I should have to prove that he placed it there himself—which, as I did not see him do so, I should have had a difficulty in doing; secondly, that it was not exposed or exhibited sufficiently to come within the spirit of the act—to have done which, it should have been placed outside instead of inside the window ; and thirdly, that Holywell Street, through which twenty thousand people pass and repass daily, was not considered a thoroughfare within the meaning of the act."

On Monday, the Reverend William Bailey, LLD., a clergyman was reexamined after being repeatedly remanded, on a charge preferred last week, of having forged a promissory note for 2,875/., purporting to have been drawn by a Mr. Robert Smith, an ironmonger, who died lately, worth a great deal of money, and was very miserly. After Mr. Smith's death, an application was made to his brother, Mr. James Smith, for the payment of a debt, which was claimed by Bailey, on the part of his sister, Miss Ann Bailey. The claim was not admitted, there being no entry Of such a debt in Mr. Smith's books; and an action was instituted for the recovery of the debt, 2,875/. In the course of the proceeding an I. 0. U. was produced, purporting to have been drawn by Mr. Smith, in favour of Miss Bailey ; and other documents were shown, since proved to have been forged. Dr. Bailey swore, that on the 12th July 1842, he was present in the vestry-room of a chapel in Queen Square, Westminster, when he saw Mr. Smith write the I. 0. U. Evidence on the trial proved that at that very time, when he was alleged to be writing the promissory-note, Mr. Smith was transacting business in Mornington Crescent, with a person on whom the circumstance was particularly impressed from the fact of its being his wedding-day. Another circumstance which came to light on the trial was, that a short time before, Bailey called on the undertaker who buried Mr. Smith, and adroitly turned the conversation on the affairs of the wealthy miser," who, he said, could neither read nor write. This was denied by the undertaker ; and in proof of what he said, he showed Bailey a receipt signed by Mr. Smith. This was borrowed by him, and was returned by post a few days afterwards. Other testimony went to show that the signatures were not in Mr. Smith's handwriting. In consequence of these circumstances, a verdict was returned for Mr. Smith. Bailey then tampered with a poor Irishman named Carney, and bribed him with the promise of 80/. to come forward and make an affidavit that he was present in the chapel in Queen Square when the promissory-note was given. Bailey wrote on a paper a statement, which Carney was to commit to memory. The poor man, however, re- pented having any thing to do in such an affair, and was advised by an acquaintance to go to the friends of Mr. Smith and tell them all he knew. He was committed to Newgate for trial.

On Wednesday, James Powell was brought up on suspicion of hav- ing stolen a reticule containing upwards of 10/. from Lady Malcolm. As she alighted from a train of the Great Western Railway, on the previous evening, her bag was cut from her arm ; and on her making an exclamation, Powell, who was close to her, ran off. He was pursued, and recognized as one of the "swell mob." The reticule was found on the platform, its contents untouched. Major Malcolm said that his mother was disinclined to attend ; and so the prisoner was allowed to get off; for want of proof

Seven children were poisoned at St. Saviour's Charity-School on Tuesday morning. Chambers, a charity-boy, picked up a yellowish powder, which be found to be sw, et ; and he gave some of it to six other boys. All of them were taken ill ; a surgeon was sent for ; and the sweet powder proved to be arsenic. One boy, who had eaten the most, died in the evening ; Chambers and another were in a state of danger ; and four who had taken less were very ill.

A correspondent of the Times. Mr. William Bevan, alluding to the death of the young woman Holland, and the serious injury of her sister in jumping out of window, during the fire in Little Prescott Street last week, makes a useful practical suggestion, whico ought at once to be adopted- " Let a strong rope net of sixteen or twenty feet square be deposited at all the Police-stations, and with the different fire-brigades and fire-engines, to he called the 'Fire-net.' Such nets being light would be very portable, and could on any alarm of fire be instantly conveyed to the scene of the conflagration, and of course made use of if neeeesary ; nothing more being requited than to solicit the bystanders to stretch the net out on all sides, and then let the person in danger jump into it. Had such a netting been at hand in the cape alluded to, I have no doubt that both the young women would have escaped with a few bruises. Generally, in cases of fire, the peril being imminent, not a moment is to be lost ; and the plan suggested offers this advantage, that it can be in- stantly applied on arriving at the scene of the calamity."

Several charitable contributions have been sent to the London Police- offices as donations to the poor at Christmas. On Thursday. the Ma- gistrates at Bow Street, Lambeth S:reet, Marlborough Street, Union Hall, M: ylebone, Queen Square, and Clerkenwell, each acknow- ledged 0 receipt of a donation of IN. for the relief of the poor under the will of the late Mr. Davidge, of the Surrey Theatre ; who has or- dered the like donation to be sent to each of the nine offices within seven years after his death. At Marlborough Street, Mr. Hardwick acknowledged the gift of 50/ from Baron Brunow, the Prussian Am- bassador. At Guildhall, Sir Peter Laurie mentioned the receipt of IN. given by the Grocer's Company.