Aberdeen Council Register: volume 70 - extract dated 12 February 1819 Council meeting, 12 February 1819 [Sederunt given] The Provost congratulated the Council on the Court of Session's dismissal of the complaints brought by William Mortimer and John Elphinstone, and by George Gray against the election at Michaelmas 1818. (185v) The Council requested the magistrates to attend the meeting of the creditors of the Treasury and to agree to such proposals which they deemed in the interest of the Trust. The Council appointed a committee of Baillie Young, the Dean of Guild and the Treasurer to meet with a committee of the creditors to examine the Trust's accounts. (185v - 186r) The Council approved the report of the committee appointed to consider the site for the new Jail. The report stated that the committee had failed to reach any agreement with the County Commissioners, after objecting to the original plan proposed by the Commissioners. The committee had called a meeting of the heritors which resolved that the Bridewell was the best site for the new Jail, that the cost should be shared equally between the Town and the County, and that one person should be appointed as Keeper of the Jail and Governor of the Bridewell. The meeting did not object to the Provost's proposal to increase the Town's Rogue Money assessment by one penny on house rents. [Heads of Bill to construct a new Jail engrossed, including powers to erect Jail, levy assessment, and appoint a Keeper.] The Provost stated that a petition to bring a Bill to build a new Jail had been subscribed jointly by the Council and the Commissioners, and had been transmitted for presentation to the House of Commons. (186r - 189r) The Council approved the report of the magistrates who had met with a committee of the Kirk Session on 25 January 1819 to reach an amicable arrangement about the Baptism Register. (The Court of Session had recognised the right of the magistrates and Council to be Custodians of the Baptism Register and to appoint the Keeper of the Baptism Register, but the Council's request to clergyman in a circular letter dated 14 August 1817 to lodge regular lists of baptisms with Mr Gilbert Falconer, Keeper of the Baptism Register, had been ignored.) The joint meeting decided that the Kirk Session should direct the Clerk to transmit all his lists of baptisms for registration to the Keeper of the Register appointed by the Council; that ministers who are members of the Kirk Session should furnish lists of baptisms periodically to the Keeper of the Register appointed by the Council; that the Baptism Register shall be open for inspection to ministers of the Establishment and to other baptising clergymen; and that ministers should recommend to parents to have the baptisms of their children registered. [Minute of meeting engrossed.] The Council remitted to the magistrates and the committee of the Kirk Session to frame regulations for the proper completion of the Baptism Register. (189r - 190v) The Council agreed to pay [no sum stated] out of several funds for the relief of the poor, to the Managers of the Poor's Hospital for the year ending Candlemas 1819. The Council elected the following gentlemen to be Managers of the Poor's Hospital: the Provost, magistrates and other members of the Town Council; Messrs William Shepherd and Alexander Rhind, merchants; William Smith, merchant; Doctors Livingstone, Ogilvie, Moir and Dyce; John Niven Esq and Thomas McCombie Esq; Rev Dr Dewar, Dr Dauney; Mr Carnegie, Town Clerk; Mr John Ross, organist, and Convener William Milne. (190v - 191r) The Council granted the application from William Copland, advocate in Aberdeen, to continue in the post of Collector of the Cess for the City and Liberties from March 1818, on sureties provided by Rev Dr David Cruden, Minister of Nigg, and Basil Fisher Esq, residing in Aberdeen. The Council charged Mr Copland to collect the whole assessed taxes (less a discount of £50 for his trouble, risk and expense), and the small feu and teind duties belonging to the Treasurer. (191r - 191v) The Council authorised the Board of Taxers and Stent Masters to assess the heritors and traders for £175 10 shillings, the sum of two years arrears of Missive Dues payable by the Burgh of Aberdeen to the Convention of Royal Burghs. (191v - 192r) The Council awarded John Adam, student of Divinity, son of Charles Adam, farmer in Culairly, Parish of Echt, to Mr John Johnston's bursary of £10 for four years. (The bursary was vacated when Alexander Edmond left the Divinity Hall.) (192v) The Council granted the application from Agnes Allan, widow of the late James Allan, merchant in Aberdeen, requesting the award of Mr George Cruickshank's vacant bursary to her son, Alexander Allan, student in the first class at the Grammar School. (The bursary had been vacated by Robert Gordon, son of the late Dr George Gordon.) The Council directed the Master of Mortifications to pay to Alexander Allan £4 for five years and, on expiry of the bursary, the sum of £20. (192v) The Council awarded Henry Stuart, student in the tertian class, to one of Mr James Cargill's bursaries of £7 for two years, in place of John Bothwell, who had resigned the bursary and accepted one of Crombie's bursaries in the bajan class. (192v - 193r) The Council admitted one Trades Burgess. [No name given.] (193r) 12 February 1819