The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-14 00:00:00

ST. MARTIN'S-IN-THE-FIELDS.

This day a meeting of the parishioners of this parish was hell
it the British Coffee-house, Cockspur-street, for the purpose of
!onsidering what measures should be adopted in consequence of
some extraordinary conduct charged to the parish officers, and to
iir Richard Birnie, Knt., and Alexander Armand, Esq., two
Nlagistrates. The meeting was called in consequence of the re-
eated squabbles between the parish officers and the parishioners,
-he one making rates as alleged, in violation of the Act of Par-
:ament, and the two Magistrates sanctioning the rates so im-
aosed. To endeavour to obtain the removal of those Magistrates
Was one of the principal objects of the meeting.
The meeting was to take place at eleven o'clock precisely; but
no Chairman appeared until half-past twelve, when
Mr. WEBB stated that he had sent to Sir Francis Burdett,
who had consented to take the chair, and that Hon. Baronet hail
sent back a note, stating that he had but just got up, and would
come as soon as possible ; suggesting that in the mean time
another chairman might be found.—(Cheers, and cries of " wait ":
Mr. FENN Urn proposed, that in the imantime Mr. NV chi)
ict as chairman, which was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. WEBB, on taking the chair, thanked them for this
flattering mark of their approbation. The parishioners hz.il
been called together for the important purpose of asserting
their rights and privileges and to carry their grievances into Par-
liament. With the present Parliament tney were sure of suc-
cess, if they only united themselves as one man, and to perse-
vere in making representation and taxation go hand in hand.—
(Cheers ) The parishioners should recollect the Vestry meeting
of the Ist instant ; the usual notices having been ta:ven in church
and stuck on the church-doors, above 40u went to the Vestry_
room, but they found the doors b ,rricaded by a sort of boarding
erected to keep them out, while the Select Vestry made a rate
for the poor and for various other parochial purposes. After
waiting a considerable time they were admitted, when it w.o:
found a Chairman (Mr. Aldridge, a junior churchwarden) hail
been already appointed. They (the Reformers) proposed some
resolutions which the Chairman refused to put to the meeting,
upon which they were obliged to elect another Chairman, who
put them,
and they were carried unanimously, not one of the
other party dissenting from them.—(Cheers.) They proposed
that a prospective rate of Is. in the pound he made for three
months, which was agreed to. The select few, instead of trying
their strength by moving an amendment, met in the evening at
the workhouse, when they made a retrospective rate (which
was in every respect illegal) of two shillings and twopence in the
pound, and prevailed on Sir R. Birnie and Mr. Armand, t o
Magistrates, to sign an allowance of it.—;Cries of" Shaine "1
The Chairman hoped the parishioners would do their duty pie,:
perly, and as one man resist this rate by every legal means.--
(Cheers.)
means
(Cheers.) Let them take the concerns of the parish into their
own hands, and they would effect a great saving in the experdi.
ture.—(Cheers.) It was only necessary to look at the books' of
the clerk of the workhouse to be satisfied of items of charges
that were a disgrace to the parish ; they (the Select) pur-
posed building a new church, or what was called a chapel of
ease—(Laughter and cries of " Shame, shame,") —and saddle
the parish, if not with the ex, ence of building it, at all events
with the expeliee of maintaining it, and of supporting the par-
sons. What did they want with the chapel of ease?—(Cheers.)
At the ineetiog of the Ist inst. the senior churchwarden was
asked if the contract was not made and the ground selected, and
he admitted they were, but said the church would he erected by
the Commissioners for building churches; he was then askeil
who was to maintain it, and the reply was, Ah J that is another
thing."—(Laughter, and a cry of" where is the congregation to-
come from ?)" The Chairman concluded by proposing the follow
ing resolution :
" That the conduct of the Churchwardens, Overseers, Vestry-
men, and others, in barricading the door of the vestry, on the
Ist instant, against their fellow-parishioners, after regularly call-
ing them together, was an insult to the feelings, had a tendency,
and at the same time showed on the part of the parish autho-
rities a desire to produce, a breach of the peace, and that such
conduct deserves the severest censure of this meeting,
Mr. GILLINER, in seconding the resolution said the parish
officers and select vestry in acting as they had done, were bring-
ing about their own destruction, and he hoped the inhabitants
would persevere in asserting their just rights.—(Cheers.)
The resolution was agreed to amidst loud cheering.
Mr. BAINBRIDGE rose to propose the second resolution;
but before he had proceeded far Sir Francis Burdett entered the
room and was received with immense cheering, which lasted
some time.
Sir F. BURDETT then took the chair, and after apologising
for his not appearing earlier at the meeting, expressed the satis-
faction he felt at meeting his constituents or fellow-parishioners
upon all occasions.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BAINBRIDGE then proceeded to detail the conduct of
the select vestry, and said, that that worthy body had at last
declared their intention of refusing the admission of the rest of
the parishioners to their future vestries, and what would the
meeting say of their bringing forward two minutes of vestry
dated so far back as 1666, to justify therm in such a course s'
These minutes Mr. Bainbridge read, one of which stated, that
rates might be made according to the direction of the church-
wardens or overseers of the poor for this year, with such of the
ancient inhabitants of the parish as they shall elect." It was
preposterous to say that these minutes would be allowed to go-
vern the proceedings of the select vestry. After sonic further
observations, Mr. Bainbridge proposed the following resolution :
" That the right exercised by the parishioners to rate them-
selves for the relief of the poor, and other parochial purposes,
having been at all times acknowledged and acted upon,. this
meeting declares this first attempt to deprive them of their
rights to be an act so hostile to the parishioners, and so dan-
gerous a precedent, that, as a protection to themselves and their.
posterity, they will, as one man, resist the same by every lawful
means."
This resolution was put and carried unanimously.
A Parishioner got up to move the third resolution, when our
:er left.

Tne masked fete at Drury-lane last night was
attended by a company very various, very merry, and vet),
numeroug. It was welbconducted, and the Russian horn-
hand contributed much to the entertainment of the motley
as,emblage.

It is rumoured that a serious misunderstand-
ing has arisen between Sir ROBERT PEEL and one of the
Anti-Reform lvaders. The Hon. Baronet now fechu the
consequence of keeping bad company.—Morning Paper.

INFLUENZA.— During the week an epidemic
has made its appearance in Nottingham, and attacked a
large proportion of the inhabitants. The ►cost striking
symptoms of the disease are pain, t,ornetimes severe, in the
head, and chiefly in the forehead, uneasiness and soreness
in the chest, with cough, loss of appetite, considerable
languor and depression of spirits, with a state of general
malaise; indeed, the symptoms appear to be those gene-
rally accompanying mild fever. In no instance, we be.
lieve, has the complaint been attended with much danger,
and in the majority of cares it has lasted only a few days.
All classes of society seem to have been alike affected by it;
but, as might indeed have been a priori expected, the dura-
tion and severity of the disea.e appear to he greatest
among the poor. Quiet and abstinence have beer. fre-
quently sufficient to effect a restoration to health. From
the almost simultaneous appearance of the same or a similar
influenza, in different parts of this kingdom, in Scotland,
and France, it may be presumed to depend upon some
peculiar state of the weather or atmosphere. —Boston
Gazette.

ANECDOTE OF CASIMIR THE JUST, KING OF
POLAND.—This Prince was called to the throne in 1178
He was engaged in various wars with the 'Russians,
though not of sufficient consequence to Poland to merit
detail ; in all which, however, he rendered himself con-
spicuous for clemency and benevolence " smoothing the
rugged brow" of war, 4nd binding up the wounds which
his sword had made. The following anecdote is given as
an admirable illustration of the mildne,s and benevolence
of this amiable Prince. He was one day at pl iy, and
won all the money of one of his nobility► who, incensed
at his ill fortune, suddenly struck the Prince a blow on the
car, in the heat of his uncontroulled passion. Ile fled
immediately from justice; but, being pursued and over-
' taken, was condemned to lose his head. The generous
CASIMIR determined otherwise. "I am not surprised,"
said he, " at the gen•leman's conduct ; for not having it
in his power to revenge himself on fortune, no wonder
he should attack her favourite in me." After these gene-
rous words he revoked the sentence, returned the noble-
man his money, and declared that he alone vt,:s faulty, as
he encouraged, by his example, a pernicious practice tha
might terminate in the ruin of hundreds of the people."--
This Prince was indeed a father to his subjects ; he viewed
the oppression of the nobles over the serfs with an eye of
sorrow ; and though it was not in his power to change the
constitution of Polish society by emancipating them, and
making them perfectly independent, what he could do, he
did, in protecting them by strict laws from wanton
cruelty. He left behind him the character of the mast
liberal monarch that ever swayed the Polish sceptre.
He had faults, but they were almost lost in the number of
his noble qualities and his virtues. He was a lover of
peace, and toe friend of the people. —Fletcher's History
of Poland.

STRIKING
etyel
iyftedAdisNocff:
raerdtA,lo
fyo
th'ercEisi
:::esiOn MYSTERIOUS
projecting
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rCgaoeEcot.
I" OCCUR-
RENCE.-On
pigeons'
nestsi
snl i
small
gai thel
trunk,
amongrc2uasni
rtkhn, , Jcbtouuhvni
the
June, e
{i
wildnl as
twht
e'
most
nl
basalticolst boyse: weulaeli
regular
res
ai
andnn s e
dare search i 1
which surround the celebrated spar-cave in S radial d
clsille,icoefs.Sk),:h, t pinnacle r i
of
fith brass nails. The little fellows t
beau-
tiful manner, in a corner under one of theg •t. -
evaetrheers,oaniodysetdudadnedd
astonished at their discovery, that they descended and ran
off to communicate the tidings to their friends, without
stopping to ascertain the contents of the trunk. In a few
moments a party was on the spot, fully impressed with
the idea that a treasure of no ordinary value had fallen
into their hands. Prince CHARLES, it was well known,
had taken shelter for sonic days among these rocks, and it
was conjectured that some of his fullowets had bidden
over The the
various circumstances their money there for security, and afterwards been pre-
vented from resuming possession of it. The result was no
less a source of disappointment than of horror. On open-
ing the trunk, the skeleton of a child presented itself, of
whose history no memorial, save the mouldering remains
before them could be traced. At what period, or in what
manner, the ti unk was taken to the almost inaccessible
spot where it was found, is unknown ; but the ascent is
ton steep and rugged to permit any person to carry up a
burden of such magnitude, and it mug have been accom-
plished by means of ropes. The romantic nature of the
circumstance, and the mystery atttC.soing the burial of a
child in so wild and solitary a pbuip,..^oord ample scope for
the imagination. The selection' of ii• gunk to contain the
ring
,and a cen en
body, seems to imply guilt and concealment; while the
rea
remains, iu like a token
ofgrief
of the
case almost lift this little incident into poetry ; and it
would. afford no inappropriate subject for a WORDSWORTH,
CAsersELL, or WiLsorf.—.lnnertiffs Courier.
iti doef rns tes:.ea

LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF CHANCERY.
WARD OF COURT.

Mr. ELLISON appearing for Mr. Green, the guardian, stated
that Mrs. Hannah Melville was in Court with the infant, in obe-
dience to a writ of habeas corpus that had been served upon her
to that effect • and he (Mr. E.) had to pray that she might be
ordered to deliver over the infant to the care of Mr. Griffith, who
was authorized by the guardian to receive her.
Mr. JACOB was counsel for Mrs. Melville, and applied for time
to answer the afSdavits.

The LORD CHANCELLOR obaerved, that as Mrs. Melville
had set herself right with the Court, it was but reasonable that
she should have time. Indeed he hoped an arrangement would
be come to that would prevent the necessity of the Court's inter-
fering further.—Ultimately the matter was ordered to stand over
to next Thursday