The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-04-01 00:00:00

ANNUAL GENERAL VESTRY.

On Tuesday, the annual general vestry, for the trans-
action of the usual business of the parish, was held in St.
Nicholas's Church, the Rev. Rector Brooks in the chair.
The Vestry-clerk read the announcement convening the
meeting; and Mr. Hart, the Treasurer, the statement of
accounts.

On the motion that the accounts do pass.
Mr. JOHN SMITH asked if there was not an imperfec-
tion in the accounts. tie perceived that Mr. Walker's
salary, or that portion of it which fairly belonged to him
as auditor of the parish, was not charged. Possibly the
right course would be to appoint a committee to examine
an account of the rate-payers. As between the treasurer
and the parties in authority for managing the funds, eve-
rything was, no doubt, quite correct; but as between the
rate-payers, and the whole of their publicly elected ser-
vants there was no examination. He therefore opposed
the passing of the bill.
Mr. BIGHAM seconded the motion. He objected to
the accounts, because he got nothing for the money
which he paid. It was only right and proper that the
money should be legally expended, with due caution and
discretion. The rate was contributed to keep the
churches in repair; anything beyond that was unjust, un-
fair and illegal. He found that within the last two years
nearly £1,500 had been expended on St. Paul's Church,
one of the most substantial buildings in the town ; on St.
John's, during the same period, nearly £lOOO had been
expended. He called this a most extravagant and loose
expenditure of the public money. He went over some
of the other items, and asked the Chairman if there were
not some outstanding accounts with reference to St.
I‘lW thias's Church.

The CHAIRMAN said he did not know the exact
amount; but he had explained the matter to Mr. Bigham
last year. lie had told him that St. Matthias's Church
wanted repair ; that the churchwardens were bound by
law to repair it ; that they had had an estimate made as to
what would be necessary to put it in repair. To that ex.
tent they agreed they would go ; and as Mr. Mather, the
churchwarden of St. Matthias's, was on the spot, he
undertook to superintend the outlay of the money. He
went considerably beyond his commission ; and the
churchwardens of the parish, not having authorised the
additional expenditure, did not consider themselves jus-
tified in paying it.
Dr. WETHERILL brought forward the case of Mr.
Shaw, one of the tradesmen employed, who had a claim
of £247, arid moved that he be paid.
The CHAIRMAN observed that all the tradesmen were
in the same position. The vestry, certainly, had the
power of ordering them to be paid.
Mr. BIGHAM was sorry for the men, but objected to
the payment, as illegal. He also complained of the
charges in the other cases.

The CHAIRMAN said there were commissioners to ex-
pend money for the repairs, and they were empowered to
call on the churchwardens to pay it. With regard to the
two churches, St. Paul's and St. John's, they were com-
pelled to pay whatever the commissioners thought neces-
sary for tha repairs of the churches.

Mr, BIGHAM ; It only shows how ignorant we are on
these subjects. (Hear, and a laugh.)
Mr. SMITH said, the tradesmen were suffering a hard-
ship, but they could not propose the paving of a few
hundred pounds without at once telling Dissenters and
others that they must contribute their quota. Otherwise,
he would have no hesitation in proposing the payment of
the accounts. It was hard that honest and industrious
tradesmen should suffer for the fault of one of their own
officers.

The CHAIRMAN explained that Mr. Mather was not
appointed by the parish.

Mr. SMITH continued. Let the repairs be valued, and
if it should be found that they were of solid advantage,
let them be paid for. He took that opportuLity of giv-
ing notice, that whenever the occasion should occur, he

The CHAIRMAN agreed that a uniform rate would be
most equal; the current expenses would then fall upon
those who were absolutely resident at the time. The
churchwardens were quite willing to take it so.
The usual allowance of £5O each to the two parish
clerks, on account of the bills of mortality ; of £3O for
Welsh services i❑ St. Paul's; and £3O to the minister of
St. Matthias's, were then voted.
Mr. SMITH then brought on the poundage fund, and
asked the reason for the separation of that from the gene-
ral account.

Mr, HOUGHTON replied that the arrangement had re-
ceived the sanction of toe Commissioners of Taxes in Li-
verpool, and the Board of Taxes and the Chancellor of the
Exchequer in London. The churchwardens were not al-
lowed to charge interest or bank commission in their ac-
counts; and as a very large amount passed through their
hands—the parish being indebted to the bank, in the
month of September, £2s,ooo—unless they were to lay an
additional rate of 4d. or 6d., the Select Vestry could not
carry on their affairs. (Hear, hear.)
After some further conversation,
Mr. SMITH moved that the surplus of the poundage
fund, after the payment of its own expenses, be kept sepa-
rate, to be applied as the inhabitants in public vestry shall
direct.

Mr. BIRXETT seconded the motion.
The propositio having been agreed to, a question arose
as to how the churchwardens should stand with reference
to the past accounts, which was ultimately settled by read-
ing and passing them.

Thanks were voted to the chairman for his conduct in
he chair, and tide vestry broke up.

THE MANCHEsTER OPERATIVE CON.
SERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.

About 200 members of this association dined together
in the Corn-exchange, Manchester, on Tuesday evening.
On the accession of Sir Robert Peel to office the Man-
chester Operative Consery itive Association was broken
up, but circumstances of a political nature, it appears
have again called it into existence, and this was a dinner
held in celebration of its re-formation. A number of in-
fluential public characters were invited to attend, most of
whom, however, sent excuses. Amongst these were the
Marquis of Salisbury, the Right Hon. Sir George Mur-
ray, the Right Hon. Stuart Wortley, M.P., Mr. John
T. Blackburne, Mr. W. Patten, M.P., Mr. G. C. Legh.
M.P., and Mr. Peter Greenhall, M.P.
Lord J. Manners and Mr. W. B. Ferrand, M.P., were
also invited, but they declined accepting the invitation,
for the reasons expressed in the following letters from
those gentlemen, directed to the secretary of the associa-
tion :

" London, March 11, 1845.
" Sir,—ln answer to your flattering invitation for the
25th inst., I beg leave to inform you that my engagements
during Easter recess would prevent me having the lymour
to accept it, did I fully and heartily concur in the objects
of your proposed meeting; but I will frankly own to you
that I feel no affection or regard for that abstract some-
thing or nothing called ' Conservatism,' and could not,
therefore, even were I otherwise able to, take a part in
the festival. In these days more distinctive principles
and more decided acts are, in my poor opinion, required
than Conservatism affords, or is likely to afford. I would
rather hear a body of right-principled Englishmen, such
as will be assembled on the 25th inst., assert, for instance,
their determination to maintain the integrity of the Welsh
episcopate than the institutions of the country,' which
may mean institutions of any sort. I know the frank and
honest character of the Manchester men too well to fear
that you or they will resent this brief expression of my
convictions on this subject, however they may dissent
from them.

" With a hearty wish that old Tory principles and sym-
pathies may once more strike a deep root into the English
soil,

" I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
" JOHN MANNERS.

" To Mr. James English."

" Harden Grange Feb. 14.
" Sir,—l cannot possibly say what my engagements
will be so long beforehand, therefore cannot possibly
pledge myself; but if, as the time approaches, I find I
shall be able to attend your dinner, I will do so, on con-
dition that your dinner is intended to extend sound
principles, and not to support a faction—to applaud po-
litical honesty, and not to sanction political apostacy.
" The Operative Conservative Associations were of
immense influence in placing the present Government in
power, and they fought under the banner of ' the Altar,
the Throne, and the Cottage.' Sir R. Peel intends, in
this present session, to throw down the altar of our faith,
on which the throne has been erected ; and ever since his
accession to office he has supported, with all his influence,
the Poor-law Commissioners in their desolating warfare
against the poor man's cottage.
" I am, Sir, faithfully yours,
" W. B. FERRAND.

" To Mr. James English."
The toasts of " The Queen," " The Queen Dowager,
Prince Albert, and the Royal Family," " The Army and
Navy," and the " Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese,"
having been given,
Mr. De Hollingworth, of Hollingworth, rose and pro-
posed, " Our glorious Constitution in Church and State."
Having expressed his conviction that the very object and
essence of Conservative associations was to uphold the
Protestant religion and the institutions of the country, the
speaker proceeded to say, that he had to enter upon a sub-
ject of an alarming character, but which was opposite to
the toast under contemplation, and to which he felt bound
in duty to allude. It was the concessions about to be
made to the Roman Catholics of Ireland by the grant pro-
posed to the College of Maynooth. (Hear.) A grant for
what? For the education of whom? Not for the tried
supporters of Protestant ascendancy, whom a Protestant
Government was bound to support, but for the unscriptu-
ral education of the most intolerant set of priests of the
most intolerant religion, and for the endowment of a
seminary for _Den's Theology—(cheers)—a theology pro-
claiming it a sacred duty to exterminate the rights of the
Protestant religion, by confiscation of property, exile,
imprisonment, and death ! (Hear, hear.) It was impos-
sible to repress indignation and surprise at this uncalled-
for proposal, when it was evident to all, that Catholic
emancipation itself, as a tranquilizing measure, utterly
failed. Surely it would have much better become the ser-
vants of the House of Hanover to have proposed the sup-
pression of such an institution than to have encouraged
it ; and instead of making daily concessions to expediency,
to have proclaimed, like Pitt, their determination to put
down with the strong arm of the law all further attempts
at revolutionary change. (Cheers.) Sir Robert Peel might,
amid the hollow cheering of the papist, the sectarian, and
the revolutionist, judge otherwise of the nation, and deem
it dead to all the high ennobling feelings and' energies
which distinguished it in the time of Pitt, but he might
live to repent his error ; he must not think that having
cast off the armour of Conservatism, he is invulnerable in
the flimsy robe of expediency. (Cheers.) He would tell
the right hon. baronet that he had shaken the very ground
from under his feet, had miscalculated his powers, changed
confidence into mistrust, his firmest support into de-
termined opposition, and all by these measures of expe-
diency. (Cheers.) He must say, with regard to this

would use his best endeavours to procure them the honour
of maintaining their own church, .without calling on the
Dissenters for one farthing.
The CHAIRMAN drew the attention of the vestry to
the subject immediately before them. Mr. Smith might
propose that the charge for Mr. Walker's services be in-
serted in the account.
Mr. SMITH agreed to do so, but subsequently with-
drew, and simply moved that the accounts do not pass.
Mr. BIGHAM seconded the motion, and on a show of
hands the amendment was declared to be carried. A poll
was demanded.
Mr. HENSHAW thought it a great hardship on the
tradesmen employed about St. Matthias's Church to be
kept so long without their money. He was acquainted
with one individual who had a claim of £9O, £3O of
which he had paid out of his own pocket for stone. To
set the question at rest, he begged to move that it might
be referred to the building committee to examine the
tradesmen's accounts, and to pal them, or such portion
of them as they might think proper.
The Building Committee was objected to; and after
some discussion as to whether the committee should have
power to pay, or merely to report to a future vestry, the
motion passed in the following form :—" That the amount
now outstanding in respect to St. Matthias's Church be
referred to a committee for examination, and that the
churchwardens do pay what the said committee think
right ; the committee to consist of Dr. Wetherill, Mr.
William Roberts, Mr. Dover, Mr. Renshaw and Mr.
Estlin." ,
Mr. SMITH said, on re-consideration, he would with-
draw his opposition to the accounts, and they were ac-
cordingly passed, subject to the alteration with regard to
the charge for Mr. Walker.
Mr. JOHN TINNE proposed Mr. Raymond Houghton
and Mr. John Scholfield as the churchwardens for the
ensuing year.
Mr. HENSHAW considered that Mr. George Riding,
having served the parish seven years, had a prior claim
to Mr. Scholfield, and he would propose him in conjunc-
tion with Mr. Houghton.
Mr. SMITH nominated Mr. Riding and Mr. Scholfield.
Mr. HOUGHTON expressed himself perfectly willing to
retire if such were the wish of the vestry. lie had served
the parish fifteen years, and devoted much of his time to
its affairs. He was in no way anxious to be re-elected,
but it was the particular wish of the board that he should
remain. (Hear, and cheers.)
On a show of hands, Mr. Smith's amendment was car-
ried, and a poll was demanded by Mr. Tinne.
Mr. Arthur Henderson and Mr. T. A. Bushby were
appointed sidesmen without opposition.
Messrs. Muncaster, Green, Kilshaw, and Wilkinson,
were nominated as overseers.
Mr. SMITH proposed that Mr. Urquhart be substituted
for Mr. •,‘ ilkinson, and Mr. Earle for Mr. Kilshaw.
The question being put, Mr. Urquhart and Mr. Earle
were carried. A poll was demanded,
Mr. Robert Adams and Mr. John Whiteman were then
appointed churchwardens of St. John's, and Mr. Craig
Williams and Mr. John Laughton churchwardens of St.
Paul's.
Mr. HOUGHTON proposed a church-rate of 2d. in the
pound for the ensuing year.
Mr. H. BREMNER seconded the motion.
Mr. BIGHAM objected, on the ground that dissenters
received no benefit from the churches which they contri-
buted to support.
Mr. SMITH was afraid there was no use in mooting the
general question at that vestry, but he thought a twopenny
rate too high.
Mr. HOUGHTON said, in the first place, there was an
arrear of £700; and they were aware that it had been
usual every three years to lay a twopenny rate, the penny
not being sufficient to pay the current expenses.
Mr. SMITH thought lAd. would be sufficient, and it
would be more just and equal than Id. one time and 2d
another.

Maynooth concession, that as a matter of mere policy, the
measure was mischievous—not merely weakening, but
naturally holding out encouragement to dl revolutionists
to further their views by clamour. Even the concessions
to the Roman Catholics, it appears, were not enough for
the minister, but the disabilities of the Jews were to be
removed. For his (the speaker's) part, he did not see
where the justice of the exclusion of Mahomedans from
the ermine and the official robe lay, and why they should
not take their seats in the Lords and Commons, if the
Jews were to be admitted. (Hear, hear.) He was indeed
afraid that the nation had so completely bent the knee to
pseudo liberality, that if the imps of darkness, emissaries
from hell itself, stepped from the caverns through the
ground, madmen would be found to propose their admis-
sion within the pale of a Christian community. (Cheers.)
After a few other observations, Mr. Hollingworth con-
cluded by proposing for their hearty recPption what the
recklessness of the Whig, and the expediency of the
Conservative governments, had yet left them—" Our glo-
rious Constitution in Church and State."
Mr. E. G. Egerton (the eldest son of Lord F. Egerton)
then rose to propose " The health of the Duke of Wel-
lington and the Conservative Peers." It was, he said, a
toast which would go to the heart of every one present.
They were indebted more to " the Duke " than to any
one living. He had consecrated his life to the service of
his country, and by his unrivalled genius she had achieved
renown as great as was ever acquired by any nation.
(Hear.) He did not believe that there could be any as-
semblage of men calling themselves Englishmen who
would not receive such a toast with enthusiasm, and they
must not forget that as Conservatives they owed him a
farther, and more peculiar, debt of gratitude. He bad
not been content with serving his country in the field,
for he had energetically served it and their views in the
council. (Cheers.) They must not forget that at no pe-
riod of iris later years had he sought that repose which
his unexampled services had so well deserved, but that
the consummate ability which overthrew their enemies in
the field had also been employed in the front of battle for
the welfare of the Conservative cause and the prosperity
of the land. He called upon them with all the honours
to drink " The Health of the Duke of Wellington (as
their great leader) and his coadjutors, the Conservative
members of the House of Peers."

The toast was drunk amid the loudest plaudits.
The toasts that followed were, " her Majesty's minis-
ters received very coldly) and the Conservative members
of the House of Commons ;" " Lord Lyndhurst, and the
Conservative Bar ;" the Conservative members of the
county;" "The Committee of the Manchester Opera-
tives ;" The Conservative members of the Town Coun-
cils of Manchester and Salford ;" " The Chairman ;"
"The Conservative gentlemen who have honoured the
meeting with their presence ;" " The Stewards ;" and
"The Lancashire Witches."
The company separated about 12 o'clock.