The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-06 00:00:00

MEETING AT HAMMERSMITH.

During the last fortnight the parish of Hammersmith has
been in a state of considerable excitement in consequence of
the vestry having on the 22d ult. resolved, " That the making
of a church rate be adjourned sine die." It being the first
church rate proposed to be made since the separation of Ham-
mersmith from the parish of Fulham (of which it was for-
merly a hamlet) the churchwardens determined to call another
vestry for the purpose of giving the whole of the inhabitants
of the parish an opportunity of recording their opinions on the
subject.
Yesterday being the day fixed on for the meeting the inha-
bitants assembled at ten o'clock in the large room at the Lati-
mer School-house.

Mr. Churchwarden SMITIS having been called to the chair,
Mr. WATSON required that the church% arden should state
what snm he would want before he (Mr. Watson) would con-
sent to grant him a church rate.
Mr. MORRISON (the churchwarden) had given in an account
of the amount required, a copy of which was in the hands of
most gentlemen present.
Mr. BOWLING would be quite satisfied if Mr. Morrison would
state on his honour that the account was a correct statement
of what he ought to pay before he went out of office.
Mr. MORRISON declared that it was.

Mr. Coot( moved the following resolution :—" That a Com-
mittee be appointed, consisting of eight of the parishioners,
four Churchmen, and four Dissenters, who shall be empowered
to inquire into the actual disbursements of the churchwardens
in virtue of their office, and to devise the most effectual and
unobjectionable plan of repaying them the same, as well as in-
demnifying them for any future justifiable liabilities."
Mr. SHIRLEY seconded the resolution.

Mr. BOWLING moved as an amendment, " That a church
rate of 3d. in the pound be granted to the churchwardens, in
discharge of all liabilities which may be due from the parish
to Lady-day next, in the confident expectation that measures
will be taken in the ensuing Session of Parliament to do away
with this obnoxious impost, which will render any future ap-
plication of the kind unnecessary."
Mr. Ross seconded it.
After several gentlemen had addressed the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN said the amendment was carried by a show
of hands.
Mr. BOWLING then demanded a poll, which was commenced
immediately. At four o'clock, when it was closed for the
day, the numbers were as follows :—For the rate, 89 ; against
it, 98. The poll will open this day at 9, and finally close at
four o'clock. s__

WEST HACKNEY REFORM DINNER.

The friends of William Clay, Esq., and Dr. Lushington,
the two Representatives of the Tower Hamlets, had a public
dinner yesterday for the purpose of meeting the two Hon.
Gentlemen, and to commemorate the triumph of Reform in the
borough of the Tower Hamlets.
The place of meeting was fixed for the Tyssen Arms Hotel
and Tavern, an extensive and handsomely fitted-up house,
which has lately been vastly improved, at Dalston.
JOSEPH HUME, Esq., M. P., took the Chair at a little past
five o'clock. He was supported on the right by Mr. CLAY,
and on the left by Dr. LUSHINGTON.
After the usual loyal toasts, &c., had been drank,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " William Clay, Esq., and Dr.
Lushington, the Members for the Tower Hamlets, and long
life to them."—Drank with many cheers, and many a " One
cheer more."

Mr. CLAY said the last struggle had been a struggle of a
faction. It was a struggle against men and not measures, and
in it Englishmen saw there lay their only chance. It was the
touchstone test to ascertain whether they were Tories or li-
beral men. The opponents of Reform had so masqueraded
through the country—( Hear, hear)—they had all declared for
Reform, and it was impossible to tell what they were ; but the
application of the test had made every man, who was not a
real Reformer, crest up in all the ugliness and shape of
Toryism.—(Hear, hear.) He alluded to the difference of
principle between the Whigs and the Tories, and said the
latter party had taken their stand, and had stood up for the
divine right of Kings. They had latterly abandoned that ab-
solute position—but still it had been the Tories who had ad-
vised his Majesty George 111. to declare war against his colo-
nies, that had separated America—it was the Tories who had
advised the long and expensive war against the liberty of man-
kind that had terminated in France—it was the Tories who
had refused emancipation to the Catholics or relief to the
Dissenters in the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
But now they had all professed to fly from these principles.
Until he was convinced by their acts that they hdd really given
up these principles, he could not trust the present Govern-
ment. There should exist no Government that did not ema-
nate from the people. The Tories, had certainly gained by the
election ; but it was one great consolation that there still ex-
isted a sufficient majority against them who were friends to
the people. They must take the first opportunity of turning
out the Tory faction. _

Dr. LUSIiINGTON said, in all his political career, which had
been one of considerable standing, he had never known a
crisis so important as the present ; and looking at the result
of the elections, he did think there had never been a time
when the people had entered more fully into the merits of the
case, as it regarded the country. But he looked forward to
the support of his constituents. He considered himself to be
placed in that situation that be might be considered the look-
ing-glass of his constituents, and consequently his meeting
with them that night was performing a double act, altogether
making an act of friendship.—( Hear.) [Here we must for
want of space, omit in detail the sentiments of as decisive and
as gratifying a speech to Reformers as we ever listened to.
The Learned Doctor expressed, in unqualified terms, his re-
spect for the existing institutions ; but if they could be made
to answer the same purpose, at one shilling less expense, be
would consider it as if the institution was not fully implemented
for the benefit of the people.]

A POLITICAL FOOTPAD.—Mr. Cunningham, a
master boot-maker, in a respectable way of business, was
robbed lately under rather singular circumstances. He had
been passing the evening with some friends at Whitechapel,
and about eleven o'clock was Oil his way home to his residence
in St. Luke's parish, when a stranger obtruded himself into
his company, and entered into conversation upon various mat-
ters, particularly the. late changes of the Administration and
the consequent general election. The stranger professed him-
self an inveterate enemy to Tory principles, and inveighed
bitterly against Sir Robert Peel and the Duke of Wellington,
more particularly against the latter, whom he accused of va-
rious delinquencies in his capacity of Commander-in-Chief
and as Premier. He declaimed so vehemently upon these
matters that Mr. Cunningham was completely disgusted with