The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-08 00:00:00

ST. LUKE'S, CHELSEA.

DEFEAT OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
Since the commencement of the present week the rate-
payers of this very extensive and populous parish have been
much excited in consequence of a poll of the whole parish
taking place, which had been demanded, on Thursday last,
by the Conservative parochial authorities, on the question
as to the legality of confirming the minutes of a vestry
held on the 14th ult., at which meeting a motion was car-
ried to increase the salary of Mr. Newsom, the assistant-
overseer, from eighty guineas to 1301. per annum. The
following is a brief report of the proceedings which took
place this day week.
Mr. Churchwarden Davis was called to the Chair.
Mr. AV. CORNEL, the vestry-clerk, read the notice con-
vening the meeting, from which it appeared that it had been
called for the purpose (among others) " of confirming the
minutes of vestry of the 14th ult., and the increase of
salary voted to the assistant-overseer."
Several gentlemen here contended that the confirmation
of the minutes was unnecessary.
The VESTRY-CLERK explained—lt had been the custom
for the last thirty years, whenever an increase of salary was
voted to any of the parochial officers, to convene a second
vestry meeting to confirm the minutes of the preceding
one, as well as to give an opportunity to any rate-payer to
express his sentiments thereon.
Mr. NEWLAND urged that the confirmation of the mi-
nutes of any meeting was necessary in order to legalise the
proceedings.
Mr. DUCKETT opposed the confirmation of the minutes,
and trusted that the friends of reform would by their votes
put a final stop to such an unnecessary increase of Mr.
Newsom's salary, and an additional burden on the poor-
rates. He (Mr. Duckett) would like to know what good
reason could be assigned for increasing Mr. Newsom's sa-
lary to 1301., when the duties had been diminished. Could
any other tradesman of the parish add 1/. a week to his
income, and do nothing for it ? He should feel it his
bounden duty to submit the whole of the present proceed-
ings to the notice of the Commissioners.
Mr. VINALL moved " That the increase of salary voted
to the assistant-overseer be confirmed."
Mr. CHALMERS, the rector's warden, seconded the reso-
lution.

Mr. DUCKETT moved the following amendment :
" That it is the opinion of this vestry that the minutes of
the 14th of July last, respecting the increase of salary to
the assistant-overseer, be not confirmed, and that such in-
crease be rejected."
Mr. KtcapmaN seconded the amendment.
The amendment was carried by a large majority.
A poll was demanded on the question, and granted, and
the vestry adjourned.
On Tuesday morning, at eight o'clock, the parochial
authorities, with a number of the most respectable inhabi-
tant householders, attended at the vestry-room for the pur-
pose of commencing the poll.
At the close of the poll, at six o'clock, there appeared—
For the original resolution
For Mr. Duckett's amendment
Majority
Yesterday morning, the poll commenced at the same hour
in the morning as on the preceding day, and closed at seven
o'clock in the evening.
The Liberal party strenuously exerted themselves, and
their exertions were crowned with success, notwithstanding
the determined opposition of their opponents.
At the casting up of the numbers of both days' poll,
there appeared
For the original resolution
For Mr. Duckett's amendment
Majority for the Liberals 47
The result of the poll was received by the parishioners
in the vestry-room, which was crowded to excess, with the
most deafening cheers, and also by the assembled multitude
at the doors.
In the course of the debate a violent altercation ensued,
in which Mr. Duckett, who holds an appointment in the
Secretary's office of Chelsea Hospital, was violently as-
saulted by Mr. Johnson, a surgeon, of College-street, who
hurled with considerable violence the ruler of the Chair-
man's desk at his.head, which struck him, as it was under-
stood, a little below the eye on the right check, and much
injured him. Mr. Johnson was immediately surrounded by
the friends of Mr. Duckett, at whose hands he received a
severe castigation. The affair terminated in a general row,
and had it not been for the united exertions of the active
parochial constables in rescuing him from the hands of the
crowd, he would doubtless have been murdered.

ur townsman' Mr. Duke, sheriff elect of London
and Middlesex, has evinced his respect' for Montrose by send-
ing cards of invitation to the sheriffs' inauguration dinner, on
the 30th instant, to our provost, bailies, town-clerks, &C.
The Lord Mayor has testified his good feeling towards Mr.
Duke by granting the use of the Egyptian Hall, with all the
magnificent city plate ' • and, as this is the first instance of the
Mansion-house being
granted for such an occasion, the enter-
tainment is likely to be on a scale of unusual splendour.
Montrose is undoubtedly the first provincial town which can
boast of two of its sons filling, at the same moment, the high
offices of Members of Parliament and of sheriff of the meti•o-
politan county.—Montrose Review. •