The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-08 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

Despatches from Portugal were brought by a King's
Messenger on Saturday to the For-ign-office.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from Colonel ARTHUR, the Lieutenant-Governor of Van
Dieaien's Land.

The French Minister had an interview with Viscount
PALMERSTON on Friday evening. His Excellency also
transacted business on Saturday at the office of the Secre-
tary of State for Foreign Affairs.
A King's Messenger, with despatches from Lord DUB,
lIA M, arrived at the Foreign-office on Friday.
Despatches for Lord AYLMER, the Governor of Lower
Canada, and for the Lieutenant-Governor of New Bruns-
wick, were sent off from the Colonial-office on Saturday
evening.

TheSwedi.h Charge d'Affaires transacted business at
be Foreign-office o❑ Saturday.

Viscount PALM ERSTON has left town on a visit to Earl
CowrEit, at his seat, Pansanger, Herts.

BIRMINGHAM.

VESTRY MEETING-THE RATE
REFUSED.

(Abridged ,from the Birmingh um Journal.)
Another adjourned meeting of the tate payers for the
purpose of receiving the report of the Auditing Committee,
and granting a Churchwardens' rate for the currente
year, was held in St. Martin's Church, on Tuesday last.
In con.equence of the great disorder which had charac-
!erised former meetings, it was determined on this occasion
to exclude, as far as possible, all persons who did not pay
rates. Notwithstanding this exclusion, the meeting was
most numerously attended, and the church crowded in
every part. We believe that a great portion of the as-
semblage was composed of rate-payers, although many
were, doubtless, intruders. On this occasion also, there
was a considerable number of gentlemen, who went there
avowre support a rate. The meeting was as boister-
ous an e citable as on all the preceding occasions.

The RECTOR, on taking the chair, briefly stated the
purpose for which they were assembled, and called upon
all speakers strictly to confine themselves to the objects of
the meeting. He likewise requested that all qualified
speakers might be heard without interruption, and hoped
that the proceedings of the day would not be disgraced by
the noise and tumult which had characterized firmer meet-
ings.—( Hear.)
After a report from the Audit C4'autnittee had been read
and debated, Mr. Churchwarden SALT moved that a
church rate of three pence be granted for the present year.
An amendment was moved by Mr. ALLEN to the fol-
lowing effect :—" That under all the circumstances of the
case, the churchwardens having at present funds in hand, '
the vestry will not at present grant any rate, but that if
requested, a subscription will be entered into for the pur- '
pose of defraying all legal and proper expenses connected
with the church."—(Loud cheers.)
This amendment being seconded by Mr. BOURNE, the
Rector declared that lie would not put it. He in particular
objected to the proposal of a subscription, and the mover
and seconder withdrew that part of the amendment. A
long and violent debate followed, for the details of which
we have not room. Only a few points can be noticed.
The RECTOR repeatedly said that the only question was
the granting of a rate. He would allow uo other to be
discussed.
Mr. SABIN—If allowed, he should wish to express his
opinion on the subject of church-rates.
The RECTOR—You may upon this particular rate, but
not upon rates in general.—( Hisses.)
Mr. SABIN—The Rector was, doubtless, correct. lie
(Mr. Sabin) objected to pay for any thing which he did
not receive when lie received nothing in lieu of his money.
He enjoyed liberty of opinion, and he claimed equally to
enjoy liberty of pocket. He was told, however, that the
law compelled him to pay for that from which he received no
benefit, and that being law, he must obey. When laws
were made and carried into execution, they were supposed
to be founded on just principles.
The RECTOR—You shall not go on, Sir.—(lmmense
uproar.)
Mr. SABIN continued. He would waive the point he
was about to argue; but would the Rector allow him
(Mr. Sabin) to state the objections which lie drew from
Scripture against the church-rate.
The RECTOR.—No, I will not. (Another indescriba-
ble scene of confusion ensued. Cries of "Go on.")
Mr. EDMONDS—The Rector objects to any argument
drawn from Scripture.—(Laughter, and great uproar.)
The RECTOR—You seem so disposed to act contrary
to all the rules of decency and common propriety, that un-
less order is restored and preserved, I will most assuredly
dissolve the meeting.--(" Do it then," and hisses.)
Mr. EDNIONDS—The Rector very properly intimates
that tram order be preserved and every speaker allowed a
full hearing, he will dissolve the meeting. I rise on a point
of order, and I wish to ask the Rector, that supposing the
last speaker in his previous observations was peifectly in
order, would a quotation from Scripture necessarily render
hint disordetly ? It was not the source from which a man
took an argument that rendered the speaker out of order,
but it must arise from the irrelevancy of the argument itself.
If a legitimate argument could be drawn from the Koran,
whether from a moral or a theological source, he appre-
hended that it would he perfectly regular.
The RECTOR wished to know if Mr. Sabin was about
to argue the present rate, or whether he was about to
speak on the principle of rates generally ?
Mr. SABIN—On the principle.
The RECTOR—Then I will not allow you.—(Tre-
mendous uproar.)
Mr. SABIN would pass on to the observations made by
the Churchwarden. The Churchwarden had told them
that be was bound by his oath to collect the rates, but be
could tell them that the Divine Being did not compel him
to collect a rate which was unjust and tyrannical in its na-
ture.—(Loud cheers.)
The RECTOR again interfered, and Mr. Sabin sat down.
Mr. JOSEPII PARKEs proposed another amendment in
these terms ;---" That the rate be postponed, and that the
churchwardens of the parish of Birmingham be requested
to raise a public subscription to defray their current ex-
penses, and in the mean time that the rate-payers be re-
commended to petition the Legislature in the first reformed
Parliament for a repeal of the laws which tax Dissenters
for the maintenance of the Established Church."
This amendment the Rector positively refused to put.
Amidst great uproar and confusion, Mr. Parkes with.
drew the amendment, and the first amendment was finally
put and carried in the affirmative; Mr. Turner and Mr.
S. Allport then severally demanded a scrutiny, but ulti-
mately both gentlemen gave way, and the Rector declared
the amendment carried.
Another dispute arose as to the right of the Rector to
put the original motion. Messrs. APDonnell and Edmonds
contended, that as the amendment was a direct negative of
the original motion, he had not the power ; and Mr. E.
Lee and Mr. Turner contended that he had. Ultimately,
Mr. M'Donnell moved as another amendment, that the