Lords Sitting of 28 April 1826

TITHES—ST. OLAVE'S PARISH.
The Marquis of Lansdownpresented a petition from the inhabitants of the parish of St. Olave, in the city of London, complaining of the rector, on the subject of Tithes. He had been requested, he said, to present this petition in the early part of the present session, but as he was anxious that an accommodation should take place, he had recommended a postponement till a later period. An opportunity for a reconciliation had thus been afforded, which he was sorry had not been realized. The noble marquis then stated, that the tithes of this parish, which had been in the time of the former rector 6d. in the pound, had been raised by the present rector to 1s., and from 1s. to 2s. 9d. in the pound; that his income had thus been augmented 1,800 l. a-year. The petition was signed by the majority of the householders of the parish. He was aware, that the right rev. prelate opposite had endeavoured to bring about a reconciliation; and that he had not been successful, he must, in common with the rest of the House, lament.
The Bishop of Londonthanked the noble marquis for the courteous manner in which his remarks upon the petition had been made. Among the charges brought by the petitioners against the clergy was one, that wherever the parishioners were engaged in a contest with the clergy there was no chance of justice for them. In this charge he was sure their lordships would not feel disposed to agree. The real state of the case between the petitioners and the rector he believed was, that the latter had the legal right to raise the rates upon his parishioners to the amount of about 2,400 l.; but he had not, in fact, raised them to any such amount. The arrangement he had proposed to make with them was, to impose the rate of 1s. 6d. in the pound universally through the parish. This would have made the rental about 1,350 l.; but it was found impossible to effect that arrangement, from the dissent of some who at present paid only 1s. in the pound, while others paid 1s. 6d and 2s. 9d. It might be true, that the sum he had mentioned was a large amount; but how could he, in his place in that House, condemn a clergyman for taking less than he was legally entitled to? It was most desirable, he admitted, that an arrangement between the rector
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and his parishioners should be effected; but if there was any part of his share in the business for which he thought he owed an apology to the House and the church, it was in the assent he gave to the introduction of a bill into parliament, to settle the amount of the rental of the parish, which was to be binding not only on the present rector, but on his successor. It was in consenting to a measure which went to deprive the successor of his just legal rights that he had done wrong. His object had been, to endeavour to promote peace and quiet in the parish, and see an end of litigation, and the rector living in harmony with his flock. In this he had acted as the best friend of the clergy, and he trusted to the motives by which he had been actuated for his excuse in making such a concession.
The Marquis of Lansdownobserved, that the right reverend diocesan had undoubtedly acted in the best manner for the interests of the church in the course he had taken. He could not, however, so easily acquit the rector of St. Olave's, who was otherwise interested in the bargain which he was prepared to make with the parish. The petitioners were now in possession of a letter to prove that the rector was willing to bind himself and successor to take no more than 1,000 l. a year, on condition of their paying him 8,000 l.
The Bishop of Londonsaid, that with reference to the proposal mentioned by the noble marquis, there could be but one course for him to pursue, which was to stigmatize it with his most decided reprobation. When he said that the proposal itself was new to him, he ought to state that he had heard of it as among the many plans in agitation to bring the question to a settlement; but he certainly had not been aware that it had gone to the extent mentioned.
Ordered to lie on the table.