The Sun. — 1838-11-17 (London, England)

MARY, ISLINGTON.  On Thursday evening, pursuant to previous announcement, a meeting of the rate-payers of the above parish was held in St. Mary's Church, to elect a Vestry-Clerk in the room of the late unfortunate Mr. Oldershaw. Mr. BARDGETT, Senior Churchwarden, in the Chair.  Mr. CHARLES WOODWARD proposed Mr. Robert 01dershaw as a fit and proper person to succeed his father in the office of Vestry-Clerk. He deeply deplored the embarrassed circumstances which had led to the melancholy end of the unfortunate deceased : but from the clear and convincing evidence which presented itselftip Isis mind that the present candidate had not, in the slightest degree, been privy to any of the business transactions of his Either, he could not for a moment think that the late disastrous circumstances entailed upon him any disqualification for office. Mr. Robert Oldershaw had had no connection for several years whatever with his father in business, nor was it at all possible for him to have been cognizant. of his father's defalcations ; for his father had actually employed other legal gentlemen to transact his business. All he could say was, that he was a country attorney, but he could not give his name.--(Confusion, and cries of " (..Th, oh," amidst which Mr. Woodwar sat down.) Mr. RAMSDEN seconded the nomination.  He admitted  that the late Mr. Oldershaw, at the time he committed suicide, was a defaulter to the parish of St. Mary to the amount of 650/., but he could never be induced to believe hat the sins of the father should be visited upon the head of the son. Mr. GOODYEAR nominated Mr. Robert Cork, who was as yet an untried man, but he stood forward openly and fairly to fight their battle, and he saw no reason why his pretensions to office should not be received.  Mr. HALL seconded the nomination. Mr. HODGSKIN doubted wl'ether that meeting would act with becoming discretion were they, after what they had heard, to proceedthat evening to the election of a vestry-clerk. They had heard from one of the Churchwardens that there was an actual deficiency in the parish funds of 6501. For a successor to come into office under such circumstances would be exceedingly unpleasant. Besides, should the parish of St. Mary, instead of continuing under the Local Act, be brought under the operation of the new Poor-law Bill, a thing by no means unlikely, it was exceedingly desirable that they should know what the precis! duties of the 'Vestry-Clerk would be. He moved that the election be adjourned sine die, in order first to institute an inquiry .nto all the circumstances of the case.  The CHAIRMAN refused to put this motion on the ground of its alleged illegality, and proceeded with the nomination, in spite of the loudly declared disapprobation of the vestry. - Mr. GREEN proposed Mr. May. No one could deplore more than he did the late unfortunate occurrences, but at the same time he must be permitted to say, that in his opinion Mr. Robert Oldershaw himself, as also his friends, had shown themselves destitute of that delicacy of feeling which ought to have characterised them. The remains of the unfora:mate deceased *ere scarcely cold in the-grave _when the son was pushed forward to succeed him. He saw no claim which Mr. Robert Oldershaw had upon the ratepayers beyond that of any other parishioner, and under existing circumstances he had been badly advised. Mr. EDE seconded Mr. May's nomination. Tlic CHAIRMAN on a show of hands declared Mr. Oldershow elected.  A poll was demanded on behalf of the Messrs. Cork and May. So much confusion prevailed towards the close of the proceedings, that no person appeared to be aware of either what was done or what ought to be done. The excitement which prevails in Islington is equal to that of a borough election. Crowds of persons surrounded the Church-gates. Placards were to be seen in all directions ; and paid agents employed in shouting for Oldershaw or for Cork. Carriages were to be seen bringing up voters from a distance ; and the deepest anxiety was evinced by each party for the success of their respective candidates. At six o'clock last evening 1,309 voters had been polled ; but as the votes were taken by ballot, the result is not yet known. The poll closes this evening. We add an extract from a letter which has been ad dressed to a Morning Paper on this subject:— " The late Mr. Oldershaw's defalcations (on private accounts are about 27,000/., and on parish accounts about 5001. already discovered) have naturally excited much distressing attention ; and I address you in form of correspondence, in order to elicit inquiry on an important question of vestry right, arising out of the proceedings, affecting this and all other parishes. After Mr. Woodward, the nominator of the late vestry clerk's son, had commenced a speech full of promises of explanations, declarations of reputation, &c., but most scrupulously (no doubt conscientiously) withholding amounts, names, &c., though the latter were loudly and generally called for ; and after other speeches and nominations, leaving the required explanations blank, an amendment was proposed to postpone the election, with a view of appointing a Committee to inquire and report publicly (as three friends of the party had done privately) ; but this amendment was overruled by the churchwarden, Mr. Bardgett, a gentleman of the highest character and talent, on the ground that it ought to have been submitted before the nominations, which latter he proceeded to put to a show of hands, only allowing the amendment to be put afterwards, which occasioned so much uproar and confusion, as not to be understood by the bulk of the meeting. Now, Sir, it is not only the practice of Parliament, but, I think, the custom of all public meetings to adopt the usage of the former, and put amendments first, allowing them to be moved and seconded at any time ; and I wish to know, from some intelligent reader, whether the above proceeding of the respected Chairman is authorized by established usage or local Act ?  " In point of order and common sense, it seems absurd to insist upon amendment being proposed before the it business of the meeting is found to justify t k as in the present case, where further inquiry and needful adjournment appeared to be the more necessary, from the proceedings (particularly the opener's part therein) being so derogatory and unsatisfactory—alike deficient in common fairness, and dogmatical in partizanship. " I am, Sir, your humble correspondent, Highbury, Nov. 16, 1838.