The Sun.
London, England, 1837-04-06 00:00:00

MEETING AT IPSWICH.

Pursuant to a requisition, numerously and respectably signed,
the Mayor of Ipswich convened a meeting of the inhabitants
of the town on the 4th instant, to consider the propriety of
petitioning Parliament to pass the measure of his Majesty's
Ministers for the abolition of Church-rates. At twelve
o'clock, the hour appointed, the council-chamber was filled.
It was evident from the first that the Tories were bent on dis-
turbing the meeting, and would attempt to defeat, by clamour
and tumult, what they could not accomplish either by argu-
ment or numbers. After much tumult and disorder on the
part of the Tories, who were just numerous enough to disturb
the meeting, it was adjourned to the open air; and on the
Cornhill a numerous and respectable meeting was held, at
which the Mayor presided. Resolutions were passed in fa-
vour of the Ministerial measure unanimously, with the excep-
tion of two hands. The ultra high Church party remained
behind in the hall, and as the Raformers—both Churchmen
and Dissenters.—had left them, they held a nice little hole-and-
corner meeting, Mr. Cobbold presiding, and of course passed
resolutions highly lauding the Church and the Bishops, and
vilifying his Majesty's Government, At the close of the
meeting in the open air, three hearty cheers for the
Ministerial plan were given, and altogether the exhibi-
tion of liberal feeling was highly creditable to the in-
habitants of this populous and important town. It is worthy
of remark, that the members of the Society of Friends, wh

are numerous and influential in this town, took no part in flake
meeting; highly approving as they do the measure of Minis-
ters, they intend petitioning the Legislature, according to
their usual custom, as a separate body. 'rkus have the Li-
beral Churchmen and a portion of the Dissenters in this town
triumphantly established the ascendancy of liberal principles
in this borough.

EXETER, APRIL 3. —The glorious defeat of the Tories tr!
the Church-rate Abolition mectiug on Tuesday has had the
best effect on the county at large. Never was any party so
chop-fallen. The leaders all say that they have been grossly'
deceived by their working agents, who represented public feel-
ing to be in favour of the rate, whilst the fact proved that it
had never taken so decided a turn since the Reform Bill was
in agitation as it did on the present occasion against the par-
sons. Before the Ministerial proposition or the Bill were
before the country, they had a one-sided meeting, at which
they excluded discussion, and carried a petition. They were
fairly challenged to discuss the subject by the Reformers, and
have been most signally beaten. They are now, howevr, en-
deavouring to recover their lost ground by hawking about a
pro-rate petition, and representing it as a petition for the abo-
lition, and thus smuggling a few signatures.

PUBLIC MEETING AT ATTERCLIFFE, TO PETI-

TION AGAINST CHURCH-RATES.
A numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of
this township, took place at the Town's School, by adjourn-
ment from the parish vestry, on Wednesday last, for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the propriety of adopting s
petition in favour of the Government plan for the abolition of
Church-rates. Wm. Blagden, Esq., churchwarden for the
last year, presided on the occasion.
The CHAIRMAN, on opening the business of the meeting,
most cordially approved of the plan brought forward by hiS
Majesty's Ministers for the abolition of Church-rates, and be-
lieved that the measure was calculated to prove a great bless-
ing to the Church, whilst, at the same time, it took away from
the Dissenters all just grounds of complaint. Church-rates
could not and ought not to be obtained ; and to be compelled
to raise the money required for the service of the Church by
voluntary subscription, he must confess, was a task not very
congenial to his feelings ; therefore he for ono (and he was
sure that no person who knew him would accuse him of a wish
to pull down the Church) was sincerely glad to see that his
Majesty's Ministers had come to their relief, by bringing for-
ward a measure which would henceforth enable the establish-
ment to support itself from its own resources, without compul-
sion, and without voluntary aid.
Soon after the business of the meeting had commenced, the
Rev. J. BLACKBURN, the minister, entered the room, and was
kindly requested to take a scat near the Chairman. He said
that, before the first resolution was put, he would beg leave to
make a few observations. On looking round him he said he
could not but regret that this meeting had originated in his
own Church, rater than amongst the Dissenters. He de-
scribed the Government scheme as one of robbery of the
Church ; and he had no confidence in Commissions, as they
were calculated rather to promote private patronage than pub-
lic good, and he would instance the Poor-law Commission as
a case in point. He would conclude by urging his dear friends
to pause before they signed the petition, as he felt convinced
that they would, one day or other, be sorry for what they were
now doing.
On the resolution being put to the vote, the Rev. Gentle-
man looked dismayed at the forest of bands held up in its
favour ; whilst only six could be counted against it, including
the minister, the clerk, the sexton, and the door-keeper. After
this display the party did not vote again, but very wisely re-
mained silent spectators of the other proceedings.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman was moved by Mr. S.
JACKSON, and seconded by the Rev. Mr. BLACKBURN, and the
meeting broke up in the most orderly manner ; and, to the
credit of all parties be it stated, not the slightest interruption
took place during any part of the proceedings.
It is worthy of remark, however, that, notwithstanding the
sweeping declaration of the superintendent referred to, respect-
ing the opinions of the Wcsleyans, at the request of several
members of the congregation at Darnall, the petition was sent
to the Methodist Chapel there, and in a few hours received
110 si,rbnatures; and we are authorised to state, on the autho-
rity of one of the oldest Wesleyans in Attercliffe, that, in his
opinion, if the Sheffield districts were canvassed, ninety-nine
cut of every hundred would be opposed to Church-rates. Ve-
rily, both these reverend gentlemel have very obtuse visions;
or, rather, may it not said, that " the wish is father to the
thought ?"—Slrifield Independent.