The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-08-10
From the Rochester Volunteer.

WASHINGTON VAN ZANDT.-Last Wednes'
day night, the Rev. Mr.. Van Zandt of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in this city, was
held to bail in $4,000. to answer the complaint
of the parents of a young lady, 16 years of
age, on a charge of seduction. Mr.. Var
Zandt is Rector of Grace Church IN Roches'
ter, with an amiable wife and three lovely
children, great wealth, and q comfortable in
come. The vestry have had their pastor I'M
der examination, and stopped his preaching,
and it is said that the Bishop has arrived a
mong us to conduct the spiritual investigation.
The connexions of the young lady who is
pregnant are most respectable, and her repu'
tation has been fair and unspotted. She states
that the seduction took place in the Vestry
Rooms of the Church about a year ago, (she
was then but fifteenO and in his study, where
she went for pious books, tracts, and holy in
struction.
The following is from the Rochester Eve.
ming Post:
UNHAPPY AFFAIR.
Rev. Mr.. VAN ZANDT.-Ihe proceedings
in this case are assuming a shape which JUS
titles publicity on the part of the public press.
We have forborne thus far 10 ailude to the mat
tCl, III tHO hOpC thdI SuCu CApldldllOiLo hOu1u
be afforded as might satisfy all parties that
there was no foundation for other proceedings
against this Mr.. Van Zandt.
In this we are unhappily disappointed. Lc'
gal proceedings have been commenced against
the Rev. Mr.. Van Zandt, in behalf of the
young woman who charges him with being her
seducer; and bail has been given in the sum
of $4,000. Meantime, the Vestry of Grace
Church have had some meetings, to consider
the charges, to which their attention was invi.
ted by Mr.. Van Zandt himself. The Bishop
has directed a preliminary inquiry, which viii
be held on Wednesday, the DIST of July, to de-
eide if there is sufficient cause for calling an
ecclesiastical tribunal TO decide whether Mr..
V. Il. should be continued in holy orders. 1t
may be well to add that Mr.. Van Zandt as
crlbes the charges against him TO ~conspira'
cy for his ruin.
DR.. Whitehouse win probably preside at the
preliminary clerical inquiry on Wednesday, if
he should return TO the city in season. The
inquiry will be held in the church, and to its
results we look with deep interest. Tie ac-
cused repels the imputation as firmly as it is
asserted by the young woman. That a clcr'
gyman, highly esteemed, could thus commit
himself with one of the COMMUNICATE of his
own flock, is not more horrible than the suppo.
sition that the childlike girl flor she is but six
teen, and was esteemed artlcss and chaste)
could doubly dye herself with infamy by false
ly charging her spiritual adviser with such a
~trocious criminality.
Be the decision either way, it will be shock
ing enough. 1t is with deep sorrow that we
refer in any way to the subject-connected as
we are with the congregation and we do so
now only in compliance with what seems to
be the duty of an impartial JOURNALISTIC cor
rect Misrepresentation already widely preva'
lent.
The BANK BILL which has gone from the
senate to the house, and which we trust and
believe will become a law, POUNDS the power
for establishing branches for local discount on
the consent of the States respectively.
If any state objects, there can be no such
branch within her limits.
Ifshe assents expressly, or, if, after one ses-
sion of her legislature, she is found not to OBJ
ject, her assent is to be presumed; and this
seems reasonable, because, if she have oPPosI-
ton, she will express it, and her silence may