§ MR. RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the proceedings of the Court of Aldermen on the 15th of June, when that Court voted to authorize the sale, through the Needlemakers' Company, to one hundred persons, of the right for life to vote for the representation in Parliament for the city of London, at the price of twenty-five guineas for each such right to vote; and, whether, if such a proceeding is legal, he will take steps to abolish such power to sell the franchise for money?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that by the ancient customs of the City it rested with the Court of Aldermen to exercise visitorial powers over the City Companies, and in that capacity they granted to the Liveries the power, when due case was made out, to fix their number. The desire to become citizens of London had very much increased of late years; and though the power referred to in the Question had often been exercised, there was no reason to suppose that it had ever been either sought for or granted for political purposes either on one side or the other. Considering the exceptional position of the City as a place of commerce, and not of residence, there were numerous persons largely interested in the City who had no means of becoming citizens except through the Livery Companies, and it was therefore not the intention of the Government at present to interfere with the ancient custom.