The Sun.
London, England, 1826-08-05 00:00:00

ST. OLAVE, HART-STREET.

An adjourned special general vestry of the inhabitants of
the parish of St. Olave, Hart•street, was held on Thurs-
day last, to consider and adopt measures respecting the
report and other documents laid before the vestry on the
6th of jily last.
The Rector, the Rev. Dr. Owaw, again took possession of the
chair, against the manifest inclination of the parishioners, and be
urged them not to delay, for the sooner they begau the wooer
they would finish. It was very warm weather, but ',without
warm weather it was generally hot enough in that vestry.--
(Laughter. )

Mr. Y01,1,1(.1Ex immediately rose to express his deep regret at
seeing the Rector iu the chair.
Dr. OWEN—I think this is premature. The minutes of the
last vestry had better be read, and then you may gay what you will.
Mr. YOUNGER assented.

The minutes of the last vestry, including the Report of the
Committee, were, then read.

Mr. Youisoaa said he had felt excessive pain in observing the
bold and indelicate assumption of the Rector in taking the their,
particularly as it led to, angry diseusition, and by the frequent
i►nproper interruption of Dr. Owe►t, the free discussion of the
parishioners WAS impeded., He felt .it his duty in the outset, to
submit a motion on that subject ; Oeu, after taking a 4124)3 re
view of the Report of the 'Committees, end complimenting them
upon the argumentative and temperate tone they had taken
throughout the whole of the correspondent* and proceedings oow
printed for the use of the Parishioners, Which he trusted would
►meet the eye of the Right Rev: Prelate, the Lord Bishop of Lon-
don, and every true friend of the Establiihed Church, he con-
cluded by moving a resolntion to the effret that it was highly im-
proper end indelicate for Dr. Owen to preside at a vestry con-
vened to discuss the peffortuance of his clerical duties, and was
in direct opposition to the remonstrances of the parishioners, who
solely submitted to it because he assumed the chair by authority
of law.

Dr. Owrx—The kw is the best authority by which I take
the chair, and we do not meet here to consider my clerical duties.
Mr. You NGER—I think we do, and I now again complain of
the.obstruction which you, as chairman, hays always put in the
way of our free discussion. You have no right, as chairman, to
interfere with the form or substance of my motion.—(llear.)--
Carr

Mr. JAck• sox then moved a resolution, declaring that the inha-
bitants of this parish are patrons of their living, and were protected
front any increased claim for tithe by ancient anti long accustomed
payment, which existed when they presented the present rector to
the living, which then produced
,to him, and had produced to his
predecessors, about t5O/. per annum.—(llear.)
Dr. OWV4-111 put thia motion, but it is en assertion without
proof.
Several parishioners---It's true. What part is without proof ?
Dr. Owsx—lt does not lie with me to prove it. I call upon

• you to prove it.
Youwouu—lf you cannot contradict it with proof yourself
you have no right to cull for proof from us. Thew are the kiud
of interruptions by you, as Chairman,.of which I complain. You
are presiding here aga►nst justice and propriety.
Dr. OiV*N—What ! Do you mean to say lam to tit 114-e as a
mere cipher? No, no.
Mr. AINSLXY seconded the motion, vrhich was carritkil
mouldy.

Mr. JActzsoN then moved a resnlution, declaring, that after the
Rector's induction, the parishioners, at his solicitation, consented
to pay Is. in the pound for tithes ; but that he, in violation of that
agreement, had since enacted 2s. 9d. in the pound, under the Act
of the Slth of Henry VIII., which until the last 30 years had
been obsolete, and the decree under it had been recently found, by
a jury, not to have been enrolled.
Dr. Owert—l deny the assertion contained in this resolattious
and wish this denial to be made public. I never made any such
promise generally. I did promise here -and there an individual,
that I would not rase his tithes,, and I have scrupulously
performed this •'promise with respect to
„every 4.1 inhabitant to
whom I made it... But I never roads any .general promise ; raw
can lmy.One of you produce any resolution of vestry, or any scrap
of paper, or document, to show that I did.

Several parishioners here loudly declared, that the doctor had en-
tered into a general verbal agreement with the parishioners to take
no more then one shilling in the pound ; but he now taunted thew
with not being able to show any written document to bind them.
Was this honourable?

A Parishioner--.. When the draught of the last petition to Par-
liament was read, you stated that it Wei, Dr. Owen, by your in-
dividual application to the parishioners, that they consented to
give you one shilling in the po►nid, in consequence of your being
about to be married. You now say, it was only to extend to old
inhabitants; but even if it was so, is it creditable to you, under
mental reservation, to charge the widow, the partner, or the child
of an old inhebitant, Ze. 9d. in the pound, . when you agre►d to
take Is. ? The BishOp of London, when reminded of this, said,
that you, Dr. • Owen, might in the joy of your heart, when you
was presented to the living, have assented to take Is. in the
pound, l.►ut that was not binding. Now the Bishop could recon-
cile this to his conscience, I do not know.
Dr. Owen---I felt grateful to the parishioners for having pre-
sented me with the living, and that was my reason for doing it,
but I never did it generally. .
ja.cgaox—You admitted to use that you.did.
Mr. HOWELL—Dr: Owen,,if you deny that the tithes were only
2501. when you caw to the living; pray let use ask you, what did
you and your predecessors first receive.?

Dr. Ckwsti--Upon my honour I cannot say.—(Laughter.)
Mr. ROltll4i4ON, the churchwarden, said, that as long as his late
partner, Mr. Holland 'lived—namely, to the year 1817—he only
paid 51. per annum, being la. in the pound ; but he (Mr. Robin-
son) now paid the Doctor tO/. a year.—(Hear.)

Mr. Ilownt.—My house, No. 58, Mark-lane, paid the doctor
et first only 11. I ts. per annum, and it now pays him Vit. ; and
1 beg to second the motion, convinced as 1 sin, that it iw founded
in truth.

I%dr. Youttaxn, in moving the next reso)ution, stud, that every
otep they took showed the embarrassment muted by the Doctor
presiding. However, as to abe real justice of the case, he wished
the world at large could read the report of the committee. He

declared be teas not influenced by any personal motives against Dr.
Owen. The Doctor, was mistaken if he thought him his enemy.
lie vras hu friend, and the friend of the Established Church, and
was only desirous of rooting out abuses.—.. The motion was carried
iinsnimonoly.

BARKLAsis said, it was extremet Unilleaftallt to 111114 SS
the Doctor war in the chair, to submit t next motion, but be
felt it was his duty to do so.

Owitti.—My deer Sir don't consult illy feelings; l'to a
Stoic in all those thingv.—(dear.)
_ _ _

Al. otion- relates p
mat'lertoßtlA:tel'lcursitit andandl know not howttltetDoetoll° scull
trrYenc7:l
eile it to himself to pay the Curate so little, and welly himself IsV
much. The routiim state:4, that it .appeare trout returns to the
House of Commons, that in the parish tor the lait,twenty.two
years, to the 2.Bth of April, 185/5, the clerics' duties, with slight
exceptions, have been performed by sorties, at from OS/. to lothr.
per annum.
ittogler. tloOnew;Etran.—ii
itN Cis niotty
tiittosor
to
opanytya
estoirittn.ourplaNtionge-uperarttbasrosisei
clerical duties with only slight exceptions. This is sins: what
my diocesan has to do with. I can prove that 1 havestkoded
more than any other ,City Rector.
Several Parishioners.---The more ,shams for them.
tifiDAcart..p.ionaourioibfsiya::_uer;i7wriTililliep:oirry:
that
totili:orscusrete,nitealk:tit°.tiabb'emoosuctiittiethdalitt::/iiisu-
A Parialtioner.—The Return to the House of Commons is only
to the "25th of April in that year. You may be right; but do
think it just to take 1,t4001.' a year to that?
you
Dr. Owni.—Tlais is s . quelttkm of "11 Plihdp Is
sthlwouphirl'oerfuPertr4l4:ii". NtO nall4l. Itoott;idb;ot toif I°lu'reben4ary -of Durham,
who ivevive, V,OSOL a-yrir, and only preaches about four tunes
for it.—(ltesr, hear-)
A paxisbioner.---ilut he. n 44 other duties TO perform.
Dr. 00134 (laugiting),..ilut I can produce you plauty
w

receive more than he does, though they have nothing else to
(Hear, bear,) - • ,
A ParishiOner.—This shows what a pretty state the Church ii
in.(Hear, hear !) •
• Mr. ROBINSON, the Churchwarden, seconded.' the motion,
which was carried unanirnotisly;,
Mr. CLIFEE moved, and Mr. SOUTHEY seconded, a resolution,
declaring that the produce of the living, letting the parsonage-
house, &C., and 1,8201. per annum tithe, were computed to pro-
duce the ReCtor 2001. per annum ; and.
Jacicsov Moved, that, after deducting payments to cu-
rates, SM. Dr. Owen had received 2,0001. per annum annually,
without personally rendering spiritual or other equivalent service
for the saute.
Dr. Owex.-11 get only M. fur the parsonage-house. I ad-
Mit•l receive the 1,8!.).0/. tithes, and I hope, ere long, that I shall
receive a little more—there are some noble houses building—
(Hear, hear:)—but I never made 2,000/. a year of the living in
my life.
A Parishioner.--There are many respectable inhabitants,
Doctor, going WA the other side of the street to get out of your
clutches.---(Laughter.)
Both resolutions were carried unanimously.
Mr. YOUNCIM moved, and Mr. Robinson seconded, a resolu-
tion, which was carried unanimously, that the Bishop being aware
of all the circumstances, had agreed that the stipend for St. Bo-
tolph's, Ilishopsgate (of which the 'Bishop of Chester was Rector)
should govern the stipend for the future incumbents of this parish ;
and other reeolittions were unanimously passed, to the effect that the
stipend for Iliahopegate was much less comparatively than the
1,200/. per ann., offered for the future incumbents of this parish,
which offer the Bishop had rejected ; and that they deeply regret-
ted that their case had not excited the sympathy of the Bishop,who
had made this-atatentants in the House of Lords, and had not re-
turned any answer to the letter sent By the committee, on the 6th
of May last, to his Lordship on that subject. Another resolution
was passed, strongly, recommending the inhabitants to continue
bringing their cave before Parliament, praying that their sufferings
might be relieved. Thanks were also voted to the Marquis of
Lanadown and Mr. Calcraft for their able anti judicious support
of the petitions of the inhabitants.
Dr. Owew.—Go on, gentlemen--I am like the auctioneer ; I
shall want some wine and water.

Thanks were also voted to Mr. T. Saunders, the solicitor of
the committee, for. the able, zealous, and experienced profesaional
assistance afforded by him.
Mr. asurttotati' in acknowledging the handiome compliment
paid him, said, he hoped to live to see the day of the complete and
final extinction of the oppressive claim of 2s. Od. in the pound for
-tithe. He was a friend of the Church of England, and thought
that its honour and security would be best consulted by the ame-
lioration of io obnoxious an impost.---( Applause.
Other resolutions were then passed relative to the .advoirson of
the parish.
Dr. Owxx.—llave you done now?
Mr. Youxota.—No, Sir, I hold in my hand a resolution,
that this vestry learn, with deep regret and alarm, that the rector
has advised resistance to the parish rates, and that he will not
himself pay the poor's rate, in regard of hie enormous tithes; and
that, in consequence of such conduct, the churchwardens and
overseers have not funds to pay the poor, or provide for the ne-
cessary expences of the parish.
Mr. ROBINAON, the churchwarden, said that all the inhabitants,
and particularly the poorer classes, objected to pay their rates, if
Dr. Owen was not compelled; and he understood that Dr. Owen
bad advised #eeistance.

Dr. Owitx—l am ready to pay, if all my parishioners will pay
on the profits of their trade.
Parishioners—Shocking! Do we not pay on the value of our
boom?

Mr. liorstm.--Dr. Owen, will you pay my losses?
Dr. Owen—l have nothing to do with losses—only with profits.

Mr. Balm. (the vestry-elerk)--Dr. Owen has quashed one
rate upon a technical objection, and appealed against a second one.
Other rectors pay the poor-rates on their tithes.
Mr. Youxozu—Dr. Owen's tithes are a tenement, liable to
be rated.

Mr. Rowat.l.---11e was only rated at 1,100/. per annum,
Although he admits he receives 1,8201.
Dr. Owxx—You have rated premises in general at nut half
their value. The Seed Exchange is worth 1,0001. per annum,
And you have rated it ~at. 100/. ; the Gnumercial-sale-rooms are
worth bobt., and you haVe rated them at but MI. ; whilst 'a
house which lets for 651. you have rated at 141.
Mr. BAKE 11. (the vestry clerk)...-.Doctor, you are stating what
is not the fact. The assessments are fairly made, and you sane-
tinned them at the several meetings, until yon were eharged on
your own tithes. The premise% are not rated on their rank vain!,
neither tau your tithes.
Dr. Owttt;—'l know I have sanctioned the rates, but we all
know bow those things are done. I did not particularly look into
it then.

Mr. RYLAND—Then, having acted so improperly yourself,
though I believe the rates are correct, it is shameful in you to im-
pute improper motives to others, and your conduct, as Chairman,
►s highly censurable.
Mr. BAULAVG—I think so too.—(Cheers)

am I to sit here, and hear myself char-
get! without answering? I will always fearlessly meet you, and,
thank Clod, that after having been here for 40 years,' my parish-
ioners mu only say their rector looke tolerably well. •
pialshiuner.—Yo, you may look tolerably well; nobody else
would have had the nerve to look so well. You are a tare felloW.

owggr--,Well, have you done 't
Mr. flownt.c.—l move. Ihat the resolutions be advertised,
printed, and circulated, and a copy sent to the Bishop of Lon-
don, at the discretion of the committee. l mention discretion,
Doctor, because we are so much impoverished by your conduct
that we cannot go to much expence.
This resolution was carried unanimously, and the vestry ad-
journed