ADMISSIBILITY Or JEWS TO THE FREEDOM Or THE The report
of the Committee appointed to examine into this question, together with the opinions of the Recorder, Common Sergeant, Attorney- General, and Solicitor-General, and of Mr. Morehouse, were laid before the Common Council which met on Thursday. The Recorder is of opinion, that without an act of Parliament Jews are not admissible. The arguments of the learned gentleman are political and theological, rather than legal. "If," he says, "it had been in the power of the Court of Aldermen to have admitted Jews indiscriminately to the freedom, they might have so out- numbered the other freemen as to overturn the religion and religious institu- tions of the City. The freemen are even now the electors of the Aldermen and Common Council, and it would be a strange anomaly that Jews should form the elective body Of the metropolis of a Christian empire." And if it should rain roasted geese at. Michaelmas, the poulterers of Leadenhall Market would be ruined; and would it not be a strange anomaly in a Christian country to get our fowls from the clouds instead of the barn.:yard ? The case chiefly relied on by the solitary advocate against the anomaly of a Jew voting for my Lord Mayor, is that of Rex v. Boswell (2 Strange, 11, 12), which Mr. Common Sergeant Denman grapples with, and trium-
phantly exposes its weakness. This return," observes Mr. Denman, states, that by the custom all persons of a certain description are admis- sible; a second custom is incorporated with the first, that all admitted shall take the freeman's oath ; a third custom is superadded, that that oath shall be administered on the New Testament. The two first customs are clearly unobjectionable : the effect of them is, that all persons of the given descrip- tion shall be admissible—i. e. without exclusion by reason of their religious faith. But I cannot see how the particular mode of swearing can be an essential part of such a custom. The only object of an oath is to bind the conscience of him who takes it, and in any other form it is both nugatory and blasphemous. If, on the other hand, the mode of swearing is considered as a test for detecting and excluding a particular religious class, it would be inconsistent with the custom first set out, which makes all admissible, and in contravention of one of the first principleS of English law, would effect indi- rectly what cannot be done directly." The other legal gentlemen concur with the Common Sergeant in opinion, that the Court of Aldermen have full power to pass a by-law for the admission of Jews to the freedom of the City, on their taking the customary oath on the Old Testament. After all, it is a matter of extremely small importance to any one but the Corpo- ration of London itself, whether they shall see fit to oppose "the anomaly" with Mr. Knowles, or to be guided by law and common sense with their other advisers. In a few weeks, the power of granting, or withholding, will no longer be lodged in their hands.
At the Common Council, on Thursday, a report of the Committee of City Lands, recommending the horse fair in Smithfield to be held on a Thursday instead of Friday, was agreed to.
At the same meeting, a discussion arose upon the report of the Finance Committee, recommending a grant of the sum of 6,0001. towards the im- provements contemplated by the removal of St. Dunstan's Church, and the erection of another church on the site where Clifford's Inn now stands ; and -the question was finally referred again to the Committee.
ExTEsrsioss or THE New PonteE.—We understand that five new di- visions are about to be formed, and that they will commence operations on the 1st of May. Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, and Kensington, on the West, and as far as Greenwich on the South, will, it is said, be taken under surveillance by this arrangement. The roads out of town are to be guarded by mounted men, who will wear a sort of dragoon uniform, with broad-sword and helmet' pistols, Ste—Morning Chronicle. SELECT VESTRIES.—A deputation from several of the parishes that are governed by Select Vestries, waited on Mr. Peel on Wednesday, to request
the sanction of Government to the introduction of a general bill to render the vestries responsible to the rate-payers. Mr. Peel promised to read the evidence that had been given before the House of Commons.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—A somewhat noisy meeting of this Society took place on Thursday, at the Society's house. Lord Auckland was in the
chair. The chief subject of dispute was the continuance of Mr. Sabine, ex- Secretary of the Horticultural Society, as superintendent of the Zoological farm. Mr. Sabine was warmly defended by Lord Auckland and Lord Car- narvon, and attacked with equal warmth by Messrs. Burke, Ken, Cham- bers, and others. There are few things more remarkable in the meetings of bodies entirely dependent on their popularity for existence, than the stre- nuous efforts which the leaders almost invariably make in the defence of any individual who happens to be accidentally connected with them. Of Mr.
Sabine's cattle-feeding capabilities, of course, we do not pretend to judge; but when it is on record that his ignorance and extravagance have already brought one society to the brink of ruin, can any thing be conceived more strange than that men of common sense should insist on his being allowed an opportunity of doing the same by another, because he has not been con- victed of any thing fraudulent t? iDid the fact of Mr. Sabine's being an honest man,—which Lord Auckland seemed to think quite conclusive of that gen- tleman's merits,—in any respect diminish the load of debt which his con- duct has entailed on the Horticultural Society ? There was another point which was endeavoured to be made a great deal of, and which is in every respect as unsound. Mr. Sabine, it seems, gives his superintendence gra.. tuitously. The only consequence we ever knew to result from that species of service, was that it made those who received it the thralls of those who gave it ; that it destroyed all responsibility in the servant, and all claim to supervision in the master. If the Society engage an active respectable man to do their business,—which they may do for one hundred and fifty, or two hundred pounds a-year--they will have one whom a sense of interest will render attentive and obedient, whom they may correct when he goes wrong, and discharge if he will not be corrected. At present they save this mighty sum by employing a man who will attend to his honorary duties when he likes and how he likes—whose conduct; whether right or wrong, they dare not challenge—and of whose disservice they will soon find it next to impos- sible to rid themselves. There is indeed a remedy to this species of folly, which never fails of effect—the subscribers can withdraw. And they will do so. The Medico-Botanical, the Horticultural, the Zoological, will probably con- tinue to exhibit their princes, their pines, and their parrots, for some time longer ; but the impulse which put their machinery in motion has ceased,, and the friction is every hour increasing. In a year or two more they may expect to encounter the fate to which folly and favouritism, when not sup- ported by statute, are ever subjected, and to add to the long list of useful projects which wisdom has begun and mismanagement ended. LONDON ORPHAN Asimusr.—The anniversary meeting of this excel., lent institution was held on Monday; Lord Calthorpe in the chair. The' number of children supported by the charity, was last year 264; this year' it amounts to 334.
LONDON PENSION SOCIETY.—A temporary Bazaar was opened for the benefit of the pensioners on this Society, on Tuesday. The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Vittoria were present at the opening of the rooms 26.: Cavendish Square. The toys and trinkets are mostly presents from benevo. lent individuals.
Mr. Owm.r.—It will be perceived that this gentleman has called a publii meeting on Easter Monday, in the City of London Tavern, for the purposi of explaining, in outline, "a system of morals derived from the laws o human nature " by the adoption of which the benevolent lecturer hopes ti secure for mankind many important advantages. An eminent mercantile house in the City took up 8000 tons of shippini on 'Thursday for the French Government, to convey provisions and troop' to Algiers. We believe the rate is 15s. per ton per month, for four month
certain.—Globe.
Mr. Hobhouse does not proceed to the ballot at the general election. Directors of the East India Company on the 14th.
RIOT AT CAMBERWELL.—A riot, which bore a serious appearance, too, place at Camberwell on Monday. The police had seized a man in the Of, Kent Road, and were followed by a mob, who several times attempted i rescue him, and, had not the police been reinforced, would have succeede; Several of the constables were severely handled, and all were pelted.
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