The poll for and against the Birmingham Church-rate closed an
Saturday afternoon. The Church party were exceedingly enraged at the result, which gave a gross majority against the rate of 4976; the numbers being 6699 to 17:12. The number of votes given on the last day were-248 for, and 483 against the rate. A Mr. Gutteridge, amidst great uproar, demanded the continuation of the poll, on the ground that some who wished to give their votes could not get to the polling-place ; but the Rector, Mr. Moseley, would not consent to this further breach of his engagement. Messrs. Hadley, Edmonds, and the Reverend Mr. Macdonnell, addressed the multitude, amounting to several thousand persons ; and the proceedings terminated. The re- sult of the scrutiny will be anxiously looked for. Dun i ng the last two years, attempts have been made at Devonpot to have a Church.rate, which has been as constantly opposed both by Churchmen and Dissenters. On Thursday the 11th, the Church- wardens called another meeting of the parish, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of granting a rate for the maintenance and repairs of the church. An attempt was made by the High Church party to make it, as much as possible, a hole-and-corner meeting, and to have it held in the small room, which could not contain a third part of those who would most likely assemble. About three or four hundred rate-payers attended, and the meeting was ultimately held in the great room of the Town Hall. A halfpenny rate was only demanded by the Churchwardens ; and, after a great deal of discussion, the rate was refused, and only about forty hands were held up in its favour. A poll was at first demanded, but it was soon discovered more prudent not to risk it. After the sense of the meeting was ascertained and declared, the Chairman recommended the supporters of the rate to refrains from again agitating the question, and to show their zeal and attachment to the Church by voluntarily subscribing to its support. Whilst this proposal was most cordially acceded to by a great many of those who opposed the rate, not a single individual on the other side offered a farthing.
There have, as usual, been a number of incendiary fires in the crate- try,—in Warwickshire, Norfolk, and several of the inland counties;; but the particulars are generally uninteresting, except to the sufferers and their neighbours. Between Sunday the 7th and the Wednesday following, the parish church of Fressingfield, near Bungay, was brokers into by some thieves, who forced open the parish chest and stole the whole of the com- munion plate.
Previous page
