The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-10 00:00:00

CITY TITHES.

On Thursday a Vestry Meeting of the Inha-
bitants of St. °lave, Hart-street, was held, pursuant to notice ;
the attendance.was numerous anti respectable; the Rev. Dr.
OWEN, the Rector, took the Chair, and read the Requisition,
which was, " to consider and determine the measures to be
adopted to obtain redress from the oppressive exactions recently
enforced by the Rector, by augmenting his tithes ; and the fur-
thertl prosecution of a Bill in f'; rlianient for the Oki' of the
parishioners; also to receive aco nunication froi ife Tithe
Committee of the parish on other tters aohnected-yrt the in-
terests thereof."

The CHAIRMAN stated, that he had permitted the Notice to
he read in the Church, though he had therefore incurred cen-
sure, as it certainly stated a falsehood when it imputed " op-
pressive exactions' to him. Ile objected also to the presence
of several individuals not entitled to form part of, the Vestry.
Among these was the -Collector to the Tithe Committee, and
some reporterst for the public press. In order to render the
Meeting leg -1, it was, in his opinion, necessary that these gen-
tlemen should withdraw.

A very warm discussion took place upon the former point, the
majority of the Meeting contending, that the individuals col-
lected had a right to, and should be present, when
Dr. OwEN said, that lithe parishioners wished the Gentlemen
he had mentioned should be. present, he had no objection, but he
did not think it legal.
In the irritation prevailing there appeared no disposition to re-
ceive-any concession, and a Resolution was ultimately carried,
declaring that the Gentlemen objected to as not being parishi-
oners, should remain present.
Dr. OWEN—If I had had any notion that any but parishioners
would be allowed to be present, I could have brought my friends
too, and I could have brought half the Clergymen in London
here; however, I bow to the opinion of the Meeting.
The report of the proceedings of the Tithe Committee was
then road, and the letters that had been addressed to the Bishop
of London and Mr. Secretary Peel.
Mr. BARKLAMt3, a parishioner, then stood forward to jus-
tify the phrase " oppressive exertions." in the requisition.—
Ile was glad, he said, to meet the Rector face to face. Ile
owned he was not a little vexed, the other day, at receiving a
lawyer's letter from Dr. Owen's son, who was a lawyer, in-
forming hint that if he did not pay 31. and upwards, being
2s. 9d. m the pound upon one quarter's tithes, he should be
exchequered. Ile went to his clerks and his servants, to in-
quire if ant' apillication for the tithe had been made in his
absence. They knew of none. To- be doubly sure, he ap-
plied to the Tithe Collector. The Collector acknowledged that
he had not applied. Tacked to the letter was a demand of ss.
for writing it. He thought it necessary, however, to let the
Bishop see how his flock was fleeced, so he inclosed to bhn
the letter front Dr. Owen's son.

To this he received the following reply from his Lordshio.—
" Fulham, Oct. 23, 18`2,5,
" Sir—l never see .withont• concern dissensions between pa-
rishioners and their Clergymen, from whatever cause they may
arise, and with a view to the peace of St. Olave's, in particu-
lar, I signified in the last session of Parliament my willingness
to accede to an arrangement. which, leaving Dr. Owen in pos-
session for life of his income, as it then stood, would have fixed
the payment for tithes after his decease at eighteen.pence in
the pound. In this measure only could I have been service-
able to the parish in this matter.• In the recovery of their dues I
can neither assist nor controul the Clergy, and common discre-
tion forbids me to interfere where I have no power. .
"- I remain, Sir, your very obedient servant,
(Signed) " W. Losrnost."
Dr. OwEN explained. He had directefl his son to write,
because he understood that Mr. Barklamb had refused to pay
him tithes until he (the Rector) paid poor-rates.
Another Parishioner—But you told me, Doctor, that you
would proceed against the, though I never said any thing about
poor's rates ; You made toe pay 4s. Id. in the pound.
Dr. OwE-sr—Well, if I did that, I'll refund.
The Parishioner—You not only made me pay Tithes for the
whole of the premises, but you made my under tenants pay
also, and besides that, I paid ss. to your son, for a threatening
letter he sent me.—(Lould tumult.)
Another Parishioner—And so you did with me. You not
only had tithes out of me, but you made a man who rents a
cellar under me, pay tithes also, and when I complained to you
you told me, that unless I could show that both of us to-
gether paid more than 23. 9d. in the pound, we ought to be
satisfied.
Dr. OWEN—And so you ought.—(Clamour.)
Mr. ttol.l.E, in replay to a remark from the Chair, denied
that the Rector's claim was a vested right.
Dr. OWEN—I have read your long letter on the subject, and
lam glad to have the opportunity of declaring, before your
face, that I have never seen a more elaborate piece of absurdity
and falsehood.—( Hisses, and cries of " Order !")
A long and angry discussion ensued. Finally, when the Re-
solution for adjournment was about to be put,
Dr. Ow EN said, he thought it necessary to give *Some' eipla-
nation. The expressions he had made use of towards Mr.
Rolfe were harsh, but he thought they would admit he had re-
ceived great provocation when he told them that Mr. ltolfe
called hint a legalized robber. He denied that he was guilty of
exacting or extortion, and he defied any one of the parishioners
to try the question. He would give any man one hundred
pounds to do so.

Several parishioners offered to try the question fairly in the
Court of King's Bench.
Dr. OwEN—No ; I'll try it in the proper places, the Court
of Exchequer or Chancery.
The Solicitor of the Tithe Committee asked the '.Rector if he
would consent to a friendly issue, to try the question of non-en-
rollment?

Dr. OwEN—No, I shall not, as I have three grounds for my
chin), be such a fool as to give up two of them ; I shall go into
Court upon all three—the Act of the 27th, the Act of the 37th,
and the custom.

The SwAcyron—Why, if you rely upon any one of those,
what becomes of the others?

Some long and angry discussion then followed, when the
Doctor, upon being questioned as to whether he would agree
to the conditions on which they tirst went to Parliament. name.
ly, that he should have a fixed stipend of 1,8201. per annum,
exclusive of his surplice fees, repeated twice, for the satisfac-
tion of his parishioners; " I will accede to the 1,8201., if you
can settle with the Bishop the sum to be paid to my successor.
I will have nothing to do with the settlement of the allowance
to my successor; that you must settle with the Bishop, as he
wished me to oppose the Bill-as it then stood."
After this declaration a motion for an adjournment to that
day fortnight was carried, in the hope that the proposed meet-
ing on the following day, between the Bishop and Trustees of
Advowson would lead to some satisfactory arrangement to ter-
minate the lamentable disputes of this parish.