1841—SEPTEMBER 29—A special meeting of the body was held to memorialise the Queen on the subject of the Corn Laws. Mr. Elgie moved the memorial, which asserted that the Corn Laws were the principal causes of the present distress of the country. Mr. Pierpoint moved an amendment, declaring that the discussion of political subjects was contrary to the spirit of the Municipal Act, and highly inexpedient; and wound up by an assertion of a wholly political character, viz., that the distress of the country had been produced by the hasty and crude legislation of the Whigs. The amendment was negatived by 26 to 5, the minority consisting of Messrs. J. Dent, Anderson, Pierpoint, Bedford, and Summerfield. 1841—NOVEMBER—The Conservatives made great efforts in all the wards to get a footing in the Council this year, but, except in St. Nicholas, were wholly unsuccessful. Mr. Alderman Edward Evans was elected Mayor, and Mr. Alderman Lilly, Sheriff, by 23 votes, while 12 were given for Mr. Elgie. Mr. Hebb retired from the Council; and Messrs. R. Evans, J. Hall, W. Lewis, G. Allies, C. A. Helm, and C. Hastings were elected aldermen in room of those who retired. 1841—DECEMBER 3—A special meeting to protest against the recent appointment of magistrates without consulting the Council. Mr. Alderman Allies proposed a resolution, which declared that the six individuals who had been appointed magistrates owed their elevation to political partizanship and not to the esteem in which they were held by their fellow citizens; protesting also against the appointment because of its exclusiveness, and because the Council had not been asked to recommend. Mr. Alderman Padmore seconded the motion. Mr. Hughes moved, as an amendment, “That this meeting is unnecessary and uncalled for;” and this was seconded by Mr. Bedford, who said that parish officers could not get justice from the present justices; and denounced the appointment of Mr. Sidebottom to the stipendiary magistrateship as a “flagrant job,” only to make way for Mr. Hill. The motion was carried by 27 to 4, and a memorial prepared to be presented by Sir Thomas Wilde to the Secretary of State. 1842—JANUARY—A committee appointed, on the motion of Mr. Elgie, to inquire into the truth of Mr. Bedford’s declaration, that the appointment of Mr. Sidebottom as stipendiary magistrate was a “flagrant job,” and they reported that it was altogether “untrue and unfounded;” inasmuch as Mr. Sidebottom declared that his resignation of the office of town clerk was voluntary. 1842—MAY 20—A special meeting of the body was held to congratulate the promoters of the Severn Navigation Improvement on the passing of the measure, and to thank the noblemen and gentlemen by whose exertions its success had been secured.