April.] 



CHRONICLE. 



33 



of Roxburghe, Marquis of Queens- 

 berry, Marquis of Twceddale, 

 Earl of Morton, Earl of Caithness, 

 Earl of Moray, Earl of Home, 

 Eail of Strathmore, Earl of Kellie, 

 Earl of Haddington, Earl of Dum- 

 fries and Bute, Earl of Elgin, 

 Earl of Findlater, Earl of Leven, 

 Earl of Balcarras, Earl of Aboyne, 

 Earl of Dunmore, Earl of Maich- 

 mont. Earl of Glasgow, Earl of 

 Portmore, Earl of Hopetoun, 

 Viscount Arbutbnot, Viscount 

 Dunblane, Lord Forbes, Lord 

 Gray, Lord Sinclair, Lord Somer- 

 ville. Lord Napier, Lord Forres- 

 ter, Lord Elibank. Total 33. 



For the INIarquis of Tweeddale : 

 — Duke of Gordon, Duke of Ar- 

 gyll, Marquis of Lotliian, Earl of 

 Errol, Earl of Eglington, Earl of 

 Cassilis, Earl of Lauderdale, Earl 

 of Kinnoul, Earl of Wemyss and 

 March, Earl of Kintore, Earl of 

 Aberdeen, Earl of Stair, Earl of 

 Roseberry, Lord Torphichen, 

 Lord Blantyre, Lord Reay, Lord 

 Belhaven, Lord Rollo. Total 18. 



IS. On Friday two gentlemen 

 appeared, by appointment, before 

 the magistrates of London, in 

 general quarter sessions, at the 

 sessions hall, in the Old Bailey, as 

 members and officers of the Aca- 

 demical Society held in Chancery- 

 lane, and produced the books of 

 regiilations, list of members, &c. 

 together with a petition for a li- 

 cense. The magistrates present 

 were the Lord Mayor, with Alder- 

 men Sir .John Pcrring, Sir AVil- 

 liam Domville, and .Joshua Jona- 

 than Smith. Their ])etition, which 

 was duly presented and read, pray- 

 ed for a license, " for the investi- 

 gation and discussion of philoso- 

 phical, literary, hietorical, ami po- 



VoL. LIX'. 



litical subjects, as heretofore," at 

 the rooms of the society. 



Some question arising upon the 

 word political, the following dis- 

 cussion took place : — 



Lord Mayor. — What class of po- 

 litical questions forms the subject 

 of your debates ? 



Petitioners. — Politics generally, 

 my lord, under the restrictions 

 specified in the books in your 

 lordship's hands, and subject to 

 the approval or rejection of a coun- 

 cil. We are ready to produce our 

 books, and give any information 

 that may be required. 



Alderman Smith. — This is too 

 general ; it would admit imlimited 

 discussion, and open adoor to de- 

 bates of the most improper ten- 

 dency. 



Petitioners. — Reference to our 

 list of members, and printed rules, 

 will remove all fear of abuse. 

 This society has existed above 

 nineteen years, with unimpeached 

 chf'.racter; and was licensed by 

 the magistrates of Hatton-garden, 

 under the former act, with no 

 hesitation, and with the single 

 doubt whether it came within the 

 provisions of the statute. No per- 

 sons are eligible but members of 

 universities or inns of court, and 

 many of its members have been, 

 and are, members likewise of 

 the house of commons. 



Lord Mayor. — In short, it is a 

 school of oratory ? 



Petitioners. — Yes, my lord, pri- 

 vate a])plication was made to the 

 law officers of the crown for ex- 

 emption, but we were referred to 

 the sessions, as a matter of course. 

 Your worships will observe, that 

 a license will not protect us from 

 the c)i) sequences of its abuse. 



P Our 



