Zbe Itletropotis.
Meetings of the Court of Common Council and the Court of Alder- men were held on Monday and Tuesday, for the purpose of agreeing to addresses of congratulation to the Queen, to Prince Albert, and the Dutehess of Kent, on the birth of a Princess Royal.
At the meeting of the Court of Aldermen,'a letter from Alderman Harmer to the Town-Clerk was read, in which he tendered his resigna- tion of the Aldermanie gown. It was remarked that it is not usual to address a letter of resignation to the Town-Clerk. On the motion of Alderman Brown, the resignation was received. At the same Court, thanks were voted to the late Lord Mayor. In the resolution which recorded the many grounds on which the vote was agreed to, not a word was said about the late Lord Mayor's hospitality. This omission was noticed by Alderman Humphery, as being unprecedented ; but it was not supplied, and the address as proposed was carried.
A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday, at which a vote of thanks was proposed to Sir Chapman Marshall, the late Lord Mayor. The omission in the vote of thanks of all allusion to "hos- pitality " was made the subject of remark in the Common Council as it had been by the Court of Aldermen. The failure to render an account of his stewardship was also brought forward as a charge against the late Lord Mayor. It was insinuated that he had saved money out of his allowance. This was denied by Mr. Pcwtress ; who asserted that Sir C. Marshall's expenditure amounted to 11,0001., and that he would be 2,000/. out of pocket by holding the office. Mr. Wells proposed a rider to the address, thanking the late Lord Mayor "for the wholesome and praiseworthy system of economy constantly perceptible at the Mansionhouse during his Mayoralty, and the personal disregard which he sometimes evinced for the outward paraphernalia of his official situation, by which conduct he has transmitted an ex- ample to his successors for their imitation, as well as a useful admoni- tion to this Court to make considerable retrenchment in the large sums appropriated to the expenses of the Mayoralty, its ridiculous pageantry, and useless ostentation." The rider was received with laughter, but negatived by a majority of 94 to 35. The original vote of thanks was then carried.
Sir James Duke is now the only candidate for the Aldermanic gown vacant by the resignation of Mr. Harmer. The other candidates have retired.
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