The Express. — London, England, 1847-04-20 00:00:00

sig med . a bk w i ned, to revenue* his Maker, by. knew acetates with kindness, to t ee tlr d es graderality, ad to we k the redress of real ee . ege wr" - " --- easeleetiesse el tarn? This was the most irre emeggiesse ea the Meat It WA clearly the duty of is paten lilt wail property ; gram ignorance i n m oods reduced danger; how, then, could it be &ha tkat Salle:la/II belonged to the province of postern poll (Near, hear.) What was the alternative? mamiletasest protect society against outrage end plunder • and, taking education away, what means W are mem . s Nene but such as necessity only would justify. re• which hefieted en immense am mat of merry, and disk *mild be confined to the lowest earthen, of human s ow Take away edocation, and there remained only mid ealkon , nue solitary cells, the giblet, and the other &gee apparatus of penal law. Of two ways of obtaining the • 118:1"""Melle wig bound to obtain—elevating the po d latellectual character of the people, or inflicting wim them—who could doubt which way it was the pt government to prefer? No proposition could be t h a n this: a power which was bound to punish i s t a r e etating their duty, was bound to take every step mbetbem keorr what that duty was. (Hear, hear.) Instead allaying the plain truth, it would be infinitely lees paradoxi pplaisay Oat government was hound not to punish those whom kad utterly neglected to instruct. Could we reflect with al shams and remote:, that more than half the persons someated in our time for capital offences, might now have been alive, and in a condition of usefulness; that more than half these in the gaols aid penal colonies might have been es lib er ty, and honeursely and usefully employed on their Witt se& bee the State expended, in forming hors at men, ▪ von small portion of who; it had expended in inflicting on palms. (Hear, hear.) The tint report pre to the committee on education, from the district mead Newport, in Smelt Wales, where an insurrection ea weaned, suited. that of 11.000 children who were of p i see to co to school, sit at 8,000 attended no day-school, tad those who did so, for the mmt part, might as well have stayed at home; for the ec " eols were fil.hy and ill-venti lated, tie appanttue of education most deficient—come of the wars were ruined tradesmen or misers, whose only qulithition for the week was, that they were utterly on qsaliied fee anything elec. A. population, in such s district, e ared dim to grow up, listened, neutrally, to the first had ma who attempted to excite them agairest the constituted maborities. The government, having neglected the best w ee of eres••rving the puce of society, in the event of an outbreak bed no alternative but f re, and was under the semi armeey of shedding the blood of the pcnple,who would pebibbly never here listened to the counsels of the ineen bey, had the state furnish...l Item with instruction. (Hese, hear.) Not only, there:me, was education a part 0 the province of gevernment, as an efficient means of attaining that cud which :deny. must be attained, but amuse it was the most humane a a beat means of attaining that end. He was hotel A. in this opinion, remembering that it bee been that of ell the great lc :iodate:, of political philosophy of all ores and nations, it:eluding those who had wee di Awed to reetict the fuevions of guy' lament. It bad been the opinion also of the greeteie champions of eke and religions liberty, end of none more so than those whose memory was justly held in the highest reverence by the Protestant nonconformists of England, who, in the de)* el Arelibiehop Laud, left their country, and preferred te "aide in a wilderness, wt.ere they miaht serve Gel after their own fashion, rather than remain in a civilised sod precperone land, denied the privilege of free worship. 'lO those taen, the tittiedent of the state of Xemachturtette there had speared nothing servile, nothing contrary to civil or religions liberty, in the principle that the into ought to take chorge of the education of the people. • Hs refereed with peculiar pleasure to American authorities on. this subject, as the advocates of the voluntary principle ia religious mitten constantly referred to America as the bust illustration of their doctrine. What Cad been the opinion of the greatest and best men America bed ever pro- duced ? Penn, Washingten, and Jefferson (than whom no one wag more anxious to pure ~two the functions of govern - sent to the lowest poesible point, and to leave individual action free), all eaid, " Educate the people." Against this smanimmis expression of opinion only one eminent authority could be cited. Beyond t: is there was nothing but the eta , moue which dated froml946,•clamour which was condemned by all, even by the former selves of those who were loudest in raisin; it. (Hear, hear.) This new theory of govern seat, if it had no other merit, might at least claim that of originality. It was in effect this—all men' bad hitherto mis taken the proper functions of g merriment; gevernment was simply a great policemfficer cud hangman. (Laughter.) Its object wee to do nothing except by heed) and degnelitig means ; it was excluded from the st is of all humane means, which operated by elevating the moral and intellectual cha racter; its only means were physical forte and the terror in. spired thereby. If the *talesman saw great manufacturing towns emir up, where the population multiplied, and extended to gigantic dimensions, though knowing perfectly well that on the morel state of those great centres of population, the •• =rity of the country and the welfare of the state mainly de& he must not think of operating on their moral condition. He might and down a regiment of cavalry to overawe them, and to be ready to mow them down ; hut he must not educate tbim. (Hear.) In the rural districts, with a population as little sharing in the blessings of Mei. libation r christianity as those of New Guinea, the Mates man must wait till the incendiary fire was lighted, till pro perty was destroyed, as in 1830.31, and then it was his Meiners to insolison e tramporee and hang the offender'. (Hear, beer.) In every large city there were seminaries of • crime, where the young were trained to every lawless art, and where fraud and robbery were a call ing; and though, by wholesome instruction, a large propor tion of the victims of this system might be drawn away to boast pursuits, the statesman must look on, and suffer them • to become the caulkers of a state, of which they might have • been the strength and vitals; he must wait till all those vices, easily chs eked in the bud, were fully developed, then he must bang one, imprison another, and gene another to the • antipodes. Such was the new theory of government; and it .waseermeitly difficult to understand how men of undoubted • • ability mad excellent intentions had become attached to so Waage tbdory. The only way in which it could be 'z ee weis tkie,—in a n oast contest, from whice we had isee woh had hem said, and truly, of the &dean le., oft memieternotioneand free competition, with eesenllmeitleas , *5 simply of food; and after govern, ant —bit been driven from the exercise el al • karat/saes hs a metier where ngb isiterferetiee was is , imam, some •well-iataatiossed 1111•10 w sought to dries from a proviso which was its d a y lad Its right to file.. Ose every hand heiseasi-repeatak-. Teat to free oempention7, 47: 26i° " _tory eteel-• _ M .mea7imilkllie e awl ttseastlesaigtpl, *idea eemplyTh" — FX•ele. l on s • a flea ties amongst grown( would 'apply the piddle ' • with Moir cm more reasonabbeeami then if' the government was to ems ‘ a r grooer's shop in easy parish ; because every • indleiduel Itledef had a much stmega interest in doing a • his hem Si Abe pableo wattage than the government tm , maid pomil* ilsays.• But - what• slam of men had the Illae=7 es 18weitatimg Mama wappleing the poor with Led the poem in supplying good iniger t a llsraltedly there were benevolent pafaons who contributed ‘• their miteey and time to give ed to the pone; there might be said te he a benevolent emeepaition amongst them, bat it was nothing like the Iteremolomotitioa of find '"•'' ibltdae, whose self interest wee at **bottom of emir move el amuse. Would it not he strange if Ray one should ode:seat. , . jibe abolition of the poor-rate, on the (pound that tbo eager "Mimpetition of the benevolent would give the poor a great deal more than was raised by compulsory rates? The &e -lement woe no better in the case of education. It Mast be perfectly clear, therefore, on a moment's consideration, that institutions for the education of the common people were on every ground institutions with which the government ought • to interecremne which it ought to encourage. The line hed been draws with the meet exquisite clearness by the late David Home, who said there were certain forms highly useful and necessary to the state, which, not giving the requisite degree of pleasure and advantage to the individual, could not safely be left to individual enterprise; these the state must name rue by money, by distinctions, or by both. If there was a calling in the world to which that description precisely ap plied, it was that of the schnolmaster, whose business was aerie and necessary, but who did not, and could not obtain en adequate remuneration without the interference of govern meat. (Hear, hen:.) Adoptiug the obvious and excellent rule of Hume, the came was distinctly made out,—not by a priori remonine, but by the actual fact that the principle of nonenterferene could not supply a good education. (Hear, hear.) The system had been tried in England from time immemorial ; and If it bad been of like potency in waters of education as in matters of trade, education would have prospered under it the Name as trade. 'lt had been tried through a very long time with perfect liberty, and in the riehest country under heaven, where the people knew the sweets of freedom. Here, if anywhere, the iLleiple of free competitioa should have shown its power. The common schools of the people ought to bare been the most perfect institutions of the kind to be found anywhere • every school ought to base had its excellent library, and well-appointed apparatus for public inatruetion. A grown up person, unable to read or write, ought to have been a thing to make people stare, and of sufficient rarity to entitle it to meatier' in the newspapers. (Laughter.) The schoolmasters ought to have been as expert in their business of imputing knowledge and manning the minds of the youne, as cutlers were in making knives, or engineers in repairing machinery. They ought also to have here amply remunerated, end held in that high respect to whieh they were entitled. Was this the truth ? Look at all the reports teat had been made on any subject at all bearing on the state of education. 'lake those, for instance, of the registrar of prison+. In linefeed gaol and house of toren- Con there were 700 prime ers, one-half of whom were unable to read or write, and only eight could read end write well. In 'kited-tone gaol there were 3,000, of whom 1,300 were unable to read, and only 50 could nut and write well. In Coldbath-deltitiprieon, there were 8,000 prisoner:, not one of whom could read and write well. Go fronethat tit the registers ° l: e rne...rinse. Of 1811,000 couple* married in 1834, more thee ee.ooo men, and morn than 60,000 women, were unable to write their ownetarnas--nearly one-third of the men, and nearly one-half of the women. And theso were destined is be the meats of a large proportion of the next generation. (Hear, tear.) Of the existing day school., the state of many was mast deplorable; perhaps a heap of fuel no one side, and a breed of obickens on the other; the whet. literary Mantas maiming of half a testament. a doe's-eared spelling-book, and a broken elate. (Laughter.) Amongst the maieen were many se:eel...eructed mid deeerving men, while home were the rod. eof .11 other classes—men who could not week a ruleetethree sum, sotto could not write a letter without false Split ee , who did not know whether the world was a ,phere or a cube, who were ignorant whether Jerusalem was in America or Asia, an-I who were not ev et to be trustee to e trey out a pare. 1. (Ile .r. beer.) Te men as these seat i mewed the lest: uctem of the youth or the country, epos e hem her future :trimness &peeled. (Hear, hear.) If it was thought lie was taken too dark a view of the state of education, he THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, 1847. of the government had brought forward a plan be which he hoped to gain strength out of doors. To the members at the church of England the noble lord said, " I am ftr the &Autho rised version ;" and to the 'Worm Catholic remons'renee , he replied, " Oh, never mind the minute about the autho rised version ; you know that sa the minute was made, it could be unmade ; le; us get the money, and go through the general election which is now near at hand, and theo you shall see what we (the government) will do." Wu this the sort of proceeding the government ought to follow ? (Hetet, hear.) Was nor this an attempt on the part of the govern ment to conciliate interests which were totally imconcile ble ? It had been said by the right honourable gentleman the member for Edinburgh (Mr. Macao r ay) that there might be schools for the ltonian Catholics, schools for the independents, schools for th. bap tists, and schools fur the members of the Church of England. This might he in populous towns, but what would be the provisions in villages and rural districts, whe re it would be impossible to establish these separate schools? There no school whatever could be maintained. If it was necessary to have religious as well as secular education, he wanted to know wltst was the business of the hierarchy of the Church of England? what the use of its enormous wealth and pow: r but to teach the religion of the Church of England ? The members of the church ought to receive their religious in.truction from the beneficed clergy of that church, and, therefore, they were already provided ter. Not so the dissenter, who would be excluded from the stat , schools by the system of degmatical teaching. (Hear, hear.) With Ti gard to the vote proposed, he objected to it because its application was not specific, but lett to the irrevpotisiblv mauageraeut of the government. Oa the whole he was of opinion that, by this proposition, the government had strengthened the bow and sharpened the arrow of faoaticim. The noble lord at the head of the government might hare achieved a great name by a different course. The right lion. gentleman had appealed to posterity.—he might out live to hear it, but the tone morht arrive when posterity would ay 'hot there had been in England an administration which h.ll religious liberty on its lips, but that when it came into power, and had the means to enforce their liberal opinion., they halted and Rembled, when they ought to here advanced with a resolute step—that at the rah , meut when they ought to have exhibited courage, they turned tail and deserted the people. (Heir, hear.) He would venture on a prophecy, that some one stepping before this administration, teeing the great fault they had committed, would constitute himself the liberal minister, who would do all those things &hat the whim hid littlest t do ; as the past was a directing index of the future, the same hand which struck down the cons-laws might be the use to erect a reel scheme of education; and g.n:lemen on that Aide of the house who mistook the termer of the times. who mistook the clamour of the ignorant, the discwo tented, and interested, for the national with and who were , afraid to do their duty, would find some more sagacious and courageous minister occupying the pnsition cubic, they might have occupied, but of which they were unworthy. lie (Mr. Roebuck) said that the principle of the gover talent plan was not that which the right hoes. gentleman lei( down he assorted that this plan was not based on the principle wish which the right hoe. gentleman had started, hut on a narrow sectarian principle unworthy of the great end which shoo:.' be &tamed ; but if they had had the courage and sagacity to follow it, the pith was open to them by which they might hare psedurated their duty —that of teachi , g of the perple. On the motion of Mr. EiVART, the debate was tneu ad journed to this day, and the other orders of the day havi.te been disposed of, the house adjourned at le minutes past 12 o'clock. would quota what was said by Mr. Edward Beings, not • year ago, on the 16th of May lest, in movieg the adoption of the report of the committee of the c ingregational union : be declared that the Kate of education in this country was such as ought to make us ashamed, and to present a sad spectacle to enlightened foreignen. (Hear, hear.) This was perfectly true ; and under what system had it oecurrred ? Under the system of non-interference and free competition, which, it was said, would do all in time. But in how long ? It had al ready been triedsiace 1830. Were we M go on till 2847 or 3e47 ? (Hoar, hear.) After so long an experiment, with so little success. tried too under the most &VI/M..0)41 eircurcet&neti, the conclusion was unavoidable, that the priee plc we. in applicable to education. (Hear.) For another argument he would look to the north of this island, Scotland. Scotland, united under the same laws with this country, though possessing very little wealth compered with this country, yet presented to it, in the matter of education, • moat remarkable contrast. In the latter end of the seventeenth century, Fletcher, of Sal. coon, • man who fought for the liherty of his country, proposed a system of education in Scotland, for the purpose of preserving the peace iu that country. The change whisk took place ea his principle being carried out, was unparal leled by any improvement that had ever token place in any country in the world. In a short time, in spite of the inele mency of the air and the sterility of the soil, Scotland was a country which had no reason to envy any part of the world. This change had been effected by a Scotchman, and Scotchh• men, in consequence, carried everywhere with them the moral cultivation which they received. If • Scotchman bet up a shop in any street in any teen, he had the best eludes on the patronage of the people in the neighbourhood ; if a Scotchman enlisted in the army he soon became a non-com missioned officer. In a short time the feeling, of the English and Irish, with respect to Scotchman, altogether changed ; and before that change, even in London, the Scotehroun was looked upon as very little better than the Emeinnus. Hew different were their &setup towards Scotcbmen when this system was enforced; the language of contempt was at an end, and the language cat encituragemetst took its place. The Scotchman diereses:meet to rise, just as oil rota in water. Was this • perfect system of stole education ? For from it it was a system which wei open to many grounds of objec tion, but under this system of education, whatever may have been its defects, Scotland prospered, and rose to each a degree, that he did nut believe that any single person, no matter how much opposed te state education, would say that it was his opinion that Scotland would be the free, the civilised, and the prosperous country that it was, if it were left to free competition as regar led education. After the reasons which he had given foe the deductions which he brought before them, was it not envy to me what was the wrong course and what was the right oae ? The arguments which he had heard and read in favour of state education had fully proved to him that he was correct in arriving at a conclusion which he should not shriek from proclaiming, and which was, that to take care of the education of the people was the duty of the state. In arriving at that conchisieta, he weighed well the objections that had been made to the principle, and they appeared to vanish on *eery side. The money objeo ' Lion was the first to which he would come. He maintained that if the education of the people were the duty of the state, they should not, on account of the expenditure nf ! 200,0001., neglect the education of the people, In • linen vial paint of view they would be sompensated di ten rare by the value of the difference between an educated ant an ,uneducated people. (Herr, hear.) What they were salted upon to lay out would never be equal to what they now expended in keeping up persecution by !mane of priests and penal colonies. (Cheers.) Then, as to the ciejeo ties that this measure would give too much patronage to the .crown, be would answer, that of all the expenditures of the mown there was not one which was under such a check as this would be. Not only must the estimates come before them every year, as all the ether estimates did, but when they had vo ted • grata sum, they should recollect that the application of the details was under the control of those in every locality who were the friends of education. It wee under their control in a most extraordinary manner, and in order that the government should consider them, they should contribute also. It was stated, too, that the government would by means of the system have the power of compelling the people to educate their children under schoolmatheee who_ were objectionable to them. In the first pleas thews who made that objection should recollect that the government would not have the appointment of the masters, nor would they, in the second place, have any control as regarded their distaissel. In the third place the masters could be dismissed only by the managers, tin matter what sect they may belong to ; and in the fourth place they would receive no salary, unless these managers sanctioned it. This. was not a formal matter, for the condition of the masters receiving lel. • year was, that the managers should pay him 301. in five portions. He made that statement lest tee notion should get abroad that a schoolmaster who belonged to a dissenting school of liberal education a conservative LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 20. minister being in power—could lie bribed by the appoint ment to the office of schoolmaster to one of these public . Ova readers will have observed that our well ichools. to vote for a coeservative candidate. The fact case, informal Roman correspondent anticipates the early that if there was the l e e susnicion of such a thing, the establishment of diplomatic relations between the dissenting managers coule refuse his appointment. If he court of England and the Vatican. The absurd pre had been appointed, and that even two large subs:fibers to jadices which have so long stood in the way of this the funds suspected it, then down went his salary, natural and convenient arrangement, will no doubt and he could not get • teething from the xtate. On the whole applicetioa of this money there was vent themselves in a parting burst of clamour wheia the strongest check, far stronger Ulan had ever ever it is finally accomplished ; but we hope that this been imposed on any expenditure by that house. No person portion of the tribute, which sense pays to nonsense in dould be • popular teacher, ea • stipendiary monitor, unless the . hypocrisy of statesmen pretending to be more the wheel was kept in strict cenformay with the preliminary foolish than they are, may, if not before, at least im regulations ; and these teachers should give reasonable sem aban city before they would he appointed by the managers, Who nmehately after the general election, be finally would check every abuse. It was said that this principle cloned. We have the reverse of a desire to enc oura g e would destroy ill voluntary subscription; but that was false. the growth of popery at home, but when the nation 61a:eternal who made such statements should read the mi- goes abroad into the world it cannot well enforce a notes of the council, where they would find that the relig ions test as the ' condition • f its diplomatic payments to he made by the goverweent would keep e ninon. There is somethin sus path with the voluntary subscriptions ; and, there- recoggsuspiciously tore, it was quite impossible that two evils, as was prudish in our refusal to acknowledge the attempted to be shown. seemly, the destruction or voluntary acquintanceship . of the Pope, who is at worst a subscription and the thawing away of public money, could mere demirep in point of orthodaxy, when we occur at the same time; for if there were no voluntary sue, are intimate with the Sunnite Sultan of the Turks, scriptious this house would never be called upon to pay a familiar with the Sheeite Shah of Persia, and on no farthing for education ; and if ever, an had boon stars d, they would be obliged to expend 2,000,0001. for that puipne, casionat visiting terms with the nondescript Buddhist winch he never expected to see, the reason would be that or Pagan who occupies the throne of China. the volcntary subscriptions would have increued to an .n *ay be said, indeed, that the misbelieving po enormous and impossible amount. The friends of the cause ' t eo t o t eh t o w h am we have re f erre d, are so far k w e h. would become so zealous and animated in the cause, that ee „,„• „ ee e„„ 0,,,,, seecessor of ST. PETER that they 4,0:10,911101. would be laid out. He thought that be had Met "'"'""'"`""" T. - • the objesthas with regard to ezpanditure. sad *eine/ewe claim no power or supremacy over the subjects of patr=st the crown . The next objection was, that which England t and although the proposition is not strictly ,by the hon. member for Finsbury,. that this cieenplete, inasmuch as the Turkish that= has. more system cab O:r&rd to t he 'PrincltiPl" of the British than once exercised. is our favour the influence or Fifteen or twenty, 'a"' ~. `" „,, " e °clung the Mahomedans of India which they derive 'et' - epee& he told . them that the committee ' a eat was to be a ea elected body, from their character u representatives of the itself- ra ted bodyy and a self - acting body. Now it was Prophet, we are willing to accept the die s. mush • ssigslaeoed body as the Board of Admiralty. The tinction for what it is worth. Dune is no committee was to be appointed by a commission of her doubt that the court of Rome bears a peculiar and im marestyreesseetste to the advice : f her respansible counsel. runt relation to the Roman Catholic population of Were these sem that they were self-elected. What was the sonetitutional principle that the adoption of this principle would Britain and Ireland. And this is the strongest would infringe ? Ile would next allude to the objet- reason for facilitating in every manner the arrange non, that this system would interfere with religious ment of all questions which may arise between the opinion, but it was impossible for anybody not to admit thit government and the spiritital authority. The restric the system which was proposed was perfectly free from par- Lions which law or custom has impued on diplomatic tialicy. It was impassible to conceive a principle of stricter impartiality as between the church and the dissenting sects. relations with Rome were crigittally intended a s p er- Wherever any sect prevailed, there the teachers would for sonal checks on the crown. Ambassadors and foreign the moat part belmg to that sect The adoption of this .ministers were formerly rather the personal servants plan of education w.dilt no way injure the dissenters, and Of the reigning sovereign than the representatives of he hoped that the desolates, when all momentary irritation the flatten at la r ge i and it was thought desirable to on the subject was over, would unite as Englishmen and chemises, though they yet continued to be sionoinform. throw obstacles in the way of the intrigues whisk all We. Every sect was eguelly interested in giving a good the'Sleteetr sovereigns in succession had aerial on education to the members of another. It was the interest of with the e xpel court. JAMES I. and CHARLES 1., at all that the great body of the people should be educated• different time., held out to the Pope th e p ros p ect of Ho thought he had now gone th r o u g h the several points to that change in the national religion which Jena% 11. which his hon. friend the member for Finsbury hadadverted. Re, there was one point he had omitted ; but upon that his attempted to realise. It is 'Wadable that any hon. friend had not offered to the hours any explanation. king or queen of England could entertain au* That paint was the referehce of this question to a select rum- projects now. Among the peOple pcipery may mattes. He (Mr. Macaulay) could hardly think it necessary, after such evidence as that furnished b y the resolution of nuuntisia or extend itself if it can , bu t it can no longer be imposed from above by the interference the congregational union, to which he had already adverted , that any inquiry as to whether, without education, civil of goveri. ment. The influence of Rome must be liberty, to such • population as that of Great Britain, eou.d exerted through the priesthood and through the feel =he more then a 11•100. (Hear, hear.) To fit the po- loge of the laity, by secret agents, perhaps, it under 'he the franchises of which the honourable member had spoken, mentd degradation must be abo- hand objects should be contemp lated, but never b y the direct action of public ministers acting between lbhed—(hear, hear) —and he was • very short-sighted man who would melte no effort to give the pimple court and ,_court. What we propose is no t to that education, without which the franchise would neither Strengthen MS Priesthood, or to grub facilitlee for be beeeistel to themselves nor to the scats. (Hear, hear) foreign spiritual influence, but to give the secular alec(ffilre Macaulay) had now done, and from the clamour Wilk which they had been surrounded without, he appealed 'authorities of the nation the means of watchin g , co-operating with, or controlling, the anomalous but 'with confidence to the country, to which In no long space or . ... • time the y must render an account of their stewarthhm, and MOVILAWD action of the Roman Catholic Church. the appealed with still more confidence to future ages, which, If Roman Catholics were unknown mug us, and afterenjosiag the bleseings of • just and efficient system a Ireland Was a fabulous or imaginary . island, there cpn sturedesation, would leek back with astonishment et the' be no doubt that an English minister would be - - Which the Introduction of that system had en ,and with still more aetonialiment that the resistance offered in the name of civil and religious freedom. °mai* , . P o pe . ROEBUCK raid, that coucurring rola e did in all the as a min thought at leapt its necessary at Rome as at Dresden or Fr The is in a respectable position minor territorial potentate; but hie political Ica- eresaises of the right boo. gentleman who bah just sat down, portance is utterly disproportioned to the extent of ' he bed only to show why he disagreed with the eenclusions the States of the Church. NAPOLEON thou g h t it which the right hon. gentleman had drawn from those wort h his white to cultivate the friendship of Plea ems. Ho Write* quarrel with the right hon. gentle. el se , an alial g es Wa eassamits, but he quarelled with ham for . d the Emperor Ntenotss attempted but ie. kdbabia senclusione, which his promisee lately in vain to court at Rome the chief . of the reli- did not rapport. Be said the govemment had a duty glens which he persecutes in Poland. It ts, above all, - te perform ; that they were going to educate the people, ..in Italy that the sovereign of Rome is of weight, as and that, if they educated the majority, the minority would he traditional head of the national party. F or seven have no right complain. Now, can supposing the ma. t to or eight centuries the Guelph, or native Italian party, jority were to be educated, and supposing that majority to bil of the church of England, he thought that the require- has periodically rallied round the Pope as the chief meats of every human being coming to the school to learn opponent of German and Austrian dominion. Under the catechism was • matter of which the minority would &keyed circumstances the straggle against As Ghibel have a fair right to complain. The minority would have line preponderance in Italy seems likely to be renewed. rased. i° 4° Aa a mP h ain o Wi a lvta r,Z ki rs tb dt P a m rs P r :It ° , t t e be e y ee s we e re ete ";; The chief popularity of Press IX. is founded on!his —that was to say, the minorityere taxed for soculat assumed disposition to resist the court of Vienna. education and for religious education also. But it The interest of England in Italian struggles might be wed sal , iteit the minority ought not to mm- 'remote; if they were confined to the limits of the plain 1.6.1.8 by generil educationeat "Tanta" *Wanda; but all history shows the desire of Frau, nand assaasle the whole community. T his he (lir. Roe- . .„ eatea d her power beyond the Alpe, and to supplant Oteek)sleilleil but still he would not acknowkdge that ''''' tffileipapplealfelde country had not a right to deemed midi r the complications which may Austria in Lombardy. We have neither the wish nor spans df oduestinn as should admit all dames to participate the power to anticipate , in its benefits'. (Hear, hear) This was really them Ater arise from the possible alliance be tween the cans ♦ of in dispute, The hou. baronet the tn , vaher cv the Univeni 7 Lama& freedom and that o f French ambition. We of Oxford object , dto toy teaching but the tea chin g of t h e Mile assert, that in any case England cannot remain church of England. r. Danes, jun., &ejected to etn,v , . e. ..,-, 0 , teaching which was not according to his own fashion. Ihe Rome , but that we shale' inneuereet. It may be necessary to assist, to check, independents would, not - him tiny church of England' 'or to advise ' the court of , catechism in their aetteblee The It ton Catholics objecte4 have occasion to deal with it in some wa y is certain; to the use of the " authorised vernier •r of the Scriptures. dud there seems to be no reason against our dealing And while all these parties were eontendiag end opp-4i04 „he it by the recognised medium of intercourse one another, the government supped in, a el titled with the between independent government s. t hurch of Engl.. oilier reigious one niuney ad, while every ' it is With refeicuee, however, to Ireland, that an was by them neglected. (liter.) The noble lad at the bond Zia epprog. MMUS; The overload closed ells Menetlles, to the Meiliterreeeth. rand. Ade.. 0, 1 bib. Half Key, die., will be made up on the ,ening atlas Seth Apra. doe malls far Vie% 00X: i7 Lisliou, Madeira, Cadiz, sad Gibraltar will be aide we en the of the 27th Aprll. The mile Olt 14.1/ Sella Mee, Vas Diersea'a Lend, end Nes Zealand will lu b ere ye as So snobs at the April. 'the West muds. euetedlattheee Ow idezieo. Hendo*, end the flatheads, will be mar ealhearandur alba l Mo p. fl ember, inhaler MallikOmees; the Mahe Wei% Adak Oeykee, WY, liamp.lkeimer dr, Me IhralUempiem. will be glade up au the man*" sighs May. 'Me mails kr Britheld Iterth hMiNtes, lermerb. lad the Coital .‘tates, will be made wp an the awing the ard May. The mails for the Enid* the Mum Rae, Monte Video, reros.. bOOO, Pala Maier'. sad Bowes Ayres, will be made op ea the feeding of the 41h May. 111011 WATER AT LONDON-MUDD& Tam 1)44-51043u6g, 23 min. sot 5 ; Afterwon. 44 4416. psrt 5. To-Muuow—•Yawing, ti lain. post 6 ; Afternoon, 31 tale. put 6 . established method of with the Vati- ------- _ _ can would be most obviously . and generally useful. We are far from believing in an approaching mil lennium of universal friendship among sects, in which the lion of popery will lie down with the lamb of protestantiren. We have not the smallest expectation that our heretical government will be regarded by the Holy See with any such favour as to induce it to neg lect the interests of its own faith, or to abstain from encouraging proselytism where it may be practicable. Protestantism must take care of itsk , lf, as it has done hitherto, by its natural detences of common sense and dislike to priestcraft. Popery will conquer it if it can, but notwithstanding the which its partisans boast and its enemies t rog me r n 's t s ,we are perfectly satisfied that on England it will never make a material impression. As pro testant', we are perfectly willing to defy it, and at least have not the smallest hope of conciliating it. As politicians, we would recognise it as an existing fact, and deal with it as well as circumstances will allow. It is not the relation of popery to proteetantiam, but that of the eatholies and their spiritual head to the state, which we wish to improve. We may repeat and swear as often as we please in the words of the oath of supremacy, that the Pope " neither has nor ought to have any power, authority, or dominion I within these realms." Unluckily, the fact remains that whe'hcr he ought to have it or not, he has a certain influence which is in no way likely to be di minished or neutralised by iguoring its existence. At present we preclude ourselves from coming to an understanding as to the mode of exercising it which may be least obnoxious to us; and as far as diplo , motic incivilities can have such a tendency, wo pro voke the hostile use of it. . . . After all, it is not so much for the sake of the direct advantages which we might derive from a diplomatic intercourse with the court of Rome, great as we have snown that they might be, as from a wish to relieve ourselves from a position of national absurdity, that we advocate this easy and very natural step. The state has long ceased to profess itself exclusively Anglican. Dissenters and Roman catholics have, or ought to have, a full share of the national sovereignty. If religions liberty means anything, it means that all religions shall be lett to protect themselves against the encroachments of each other without the assistance or interference of the matte. The catholic shall be free to convert, and the protestant to reuse to be converted. The great majority of the English people abhor popery, and will always do so. The great majority of the Irish rather more strenuausly, because more ignorantly, abhor protestantism. The govern ment and the legislature are bound to resist the sec tarian influence of either religion on secular affairs; but they are also bound in prudence to deal with it, to watch it, and to control it. They are as fully entitled in the performance of this duty to secure the co-operation of even Rome itself whenever it can be obtained, as to communicate with the recog nised authorities of any sect, established or dissent ing. on mutters affecting the interests of those religious bodies. It is not, indeed, to statesmen, or even to members of parliament, that such arguments as these need be addressed. They are not deluded by obsolete preju dices against communicating with Rome; they do not believe that if the Curia meditated a plot against England, it would act through an ostensible minister, or by way of diplomatic communications. Their fault is, in this and other cases, too often to defer to the prejudices of the uninformed, and to confirm them by an affectation of sharing them. There is no insult which an educated people ought to resent more strongly than an attempt to treat them as children by encouraging their mistakes. The best compliment a leader can pay to his follow ers is to warn them of errors from which he is him self, from position, exempt. The no-popery cry, which seems rising in too many quarters, is often the sincere expression of honest prejudice ; but let con stituencies and the country beware of those in high station who encourage it by support or passiveness. They will find that such leaders, if not indifferent protestants, at least despise the people more than they hate the Pope. WE are threatened with a new war—the parish against the public. The combatants seem at first un equally matched. But if the public be the lustier, the parish is the most noisy. Pomposity and private interest have a great stronghold in parochial boards. Vested right has more than an etymological connexion with vestries. Let the public look to it, or the parish will be too strong for them. The Marylehone meet ing is a fair type of the opposition Lord 31ORPETII'S measure is hkely to meet with. In honesty and in telligence it gives probably a very favourable ed- men of parishocracy. Yet, it would be difficult to seam more ignorance, prejudice, and deliberate mis; representation into the proceedings of any assemblage than are shown by the report of that meeting. To be Mme, it numbered Sir PETER LAURIE among its eadisis, and his rowers, in all three particulars, are , Ihrelpiliellfle. To read the speeches of Mr. OAttriErr, seri "Mr. DANIELL, and Sir PETER LAURIE, one . Willa suppose that this measure contemplated tbs. utter upsetting of all local officers end the iiiisinistration of parochial affairs by a set of persons appointed in Downing-street. The mousse appears to Mr. GARNETT o to ' insinuate, that the parish is incapable of managing its `own affairs." Sir PETER sees in it "an attempt to deprive the rate-payers of their privileges, and to reduce them to the condition of hewers of wood and drawers of water." This is sheer nonsense. But it is worth while to meet the objection that the bill destroys self-government. In the first place, ' what are the results of the present system? The answer is to be found in the state of things round about us. Over the place of pariah legislation, as over WREN, in St. Paul's, might be written, "di ononumentom queeres, circumapicc." If swishes had shown their ability to deal with parish wanta, to provide for the cleanliness of streets, the Supply of water, the drainage of houses—if their inca pacity were not manifested by the annual rates of pre ventible mortality, and the pressure of parish assess ments, they might have some excuse for insisting on undisturbed possession of their powers. But what is the rule of parochial administration P 'ls it, " Do as you would be done by ?" or, " Stick to me and I'll stack to you?" Where are jobs so readily introduced, and so steadily packed, as before the vestry—whither is the ratepayer's complaint so slow ito find its way ? Where is the advice of science, and 'the prayer of humanity, so likely to be met with ridicule or coldness ? True, the ratepayers elect the vestry, and in this sense government by vestries is a...1f-government. 1 But does the act take away this power of electing their representatives from the ratepayers P Is it true, as asserted by Sir PrrEn LAURIE, that " the act re fused to grant to the metropolis even the 601. assess ment which was required for the commissioner of a sanitary board in a county town under this new bill ; but placed the whole management of the metropolis in the hands of paid commissioners ?", On the contrary, the 19th section ' provides that the act shall be earn ed out by unpaid town commissioners, possessed of real or personal estate to the value of 3,0001., or assessed to the poor on not less than 501. annually ; one-third to be appointed by the Queen, and two thirds to be chosen by the mea -1 1 pay ers. So much for the trustworthiness of the Marylebone statements. As property will be thus represented by the ratepayers' commissioners, the interests of the poor and unrepresented part of the population might run the risk of being neglected, but for the provision which places the election of one third of the district board beyond the chances of mere local influence or caprice. This third will be composed, probably, of men averse to the solicitation of a canvass, or of scientific and professional persons. whose pursuits and occupations will not allow them, however-willing, to ask the !azure of their fellow ratepayers, bat who will beneighboursof all,and repea -1 sentatives, ins peculiardegre!,of the poor and friendless. Besides, these elected commissioners will have under tbeixeontrol Abs sewerage, which at present, as Sir Puss LauRIE himself complains, iemanaged by irre sgoosibleamsaiioners, not elected by the ratepayers. Again, the saeseare will give to the ratepayer con ', OA over lies water Companies, whidh they do not now possess It is true that these commissioners will not be permitted to execute works without plans being first prepared by their surveyors and approved ,11 b the general board of health and public works. at is this any infringement of the liberties of the parishes? The proviso merely affords a much I wanted security that the ratepayers' money will not be wasted and misapplied, as it has been so shame- . fully by the Westminster comuf,sioners of sewers. if self government in parochial matters to ;eras power of the parish authorities and local boards to i job, and blunder, and squander ; to begin work which, when completed, will be useless, to leave other work uncommenced, because they want the knowledge which can see ita necessity, and the intelligence which can comprehend its economy in the long ran, then only on this interpretation this bill ii an interference with self-government. But if it be desirable that the ratepayers should ' have the advice and co-operation of more extensive knowledge than the parish can furnish, of a control which shall accommodate their special arrangements to those of surrounding districts, so as to conduce to one great end, then will this bill furnish a means for this and similar advantages, which does not now exist, and cannot exist under the present system. The machinery of this measure, it cannot be too often repeated, will supply the place, not of self-govern ment, but of Bed-misgovernment, or of no government. Where there is self-government— meaning wise and good self-government — it enlarges instead of narrowing its powers and facilities, by transferring to one jurisdic tion matters now scattered among many,and bringing under the control of the representatives of the rate payers concerns now altogether out of their dominion. It may be as well to remind the public at large of what is really staked on this measure. It is the first effective interference of the state with a question involving the very foundations of public prosperity. It is the result of investigations unequalled for patience, extent, and scientific skill in the conduct of them. It is the embodiments of the deliberat, con victions of men different in station, various in pur -1 suits, antagonists in political opinion, only united in good-will to their fellow-men. It has taken the charitable experience of clergymen, the sick-bed labours of doctors, the gaol revelations of prison governors and chaplains, the analytic power of science, and the sustaining energy of christian philosophy —a ll at once, and working long—to brimg together the re sults which are garnered in this measure. The real interests of the public ere staked upon its success. The supposed dignity of the parish is in terested in its overthrow. The public has the dice in its hand. As it throws, the game will go. As the parishes are speaking, let the public speak also. Let petitions go up from every place and every class interested in the success of such a measure. The Health of Towne Association has prepared drafts of such petitions. There is the landowners' petition, for the measure will increase fertility ; the house holders' petition, for the measure will increase the efficiency of parochial control ; the medical men's petition, for the measure will diminish sick ness ; the clergymen's petition, for the measure will remove the most formidable barriers to the instruction and improvement of the poor ; the working men's petition, for the measure will give them means of increased cleanliness, health, decency and order; and the general petition—the prayer of every trade, rank, age, sex—for that measure will help all to advantages which all will feel, and remove mischiefs from which all must suffer. Against the gathered thunder of those voices, the small shrill note of the parish, vestry, contractor, sexton, scavenger, and all, may rise and welcome ! The Paris journals of Sunday are occupied with the debate in the Chamber of Deputies of the previous day. The Journal des Mbats vainly endeavours to slur over the matter as one of those parliamentary pucrilities which do not deserve even a passing notice. The truth is, the matter has proved vexatious in the extreme, and a serious check to the cabinet of M. Guizot. A petition was preferred to the chamber by an individual, praying fur certain measures to be taken having reference to the memory of Napoleon : first, to relieve his family from the operation of the law which prohibits their return to France; secondly, to substitute his effigy upon the cross of the Legion of Honour for that of Henry IV. now used ; and thirdly, to restore to the town now called Bourbon-Vendee its original appellation of Napo- leon-Vendee. The cabinet spared no exertion to secure an entire rejection of the petition, by getting the chamber to pass to the order of the day, but in this it signally failed, and however unim portant in a practical point of view three questions may be regarded, the check is the most serious one which the ministry have sustained during the present session. The cabinet, by pleading state necessity, obtained a bare majority to pass to the order of the day on that part of the petition which demanded the recall of the imperial family. But on the other parts they failed, the chamber voting almost unanimously to refer the ques tions of the change in the effigy of the decoration and the name of Bourbon-Vendee to the president of the council. The reporter of the petition, M. le Baron Lecoulteux, brought himself, by some indiscreet lan guage, unaer the lash of M. Odillon Hermit, and re ceived a severe castigation. M. Hebert, the Keeper of the Seals, who on this occasion was the mouth-piece of the cabinet, received some bitter rebukes. MM.. Guizot and Duchitel did not think proper to break silence. Nothing could exceed the excitement on the announcement of the result of the division. The satisfaction of the chamber and the disappointment of the ministers were equally undissemble& The journals and correspondence of Madrid of the 13th inst. have brought the intelligence of certain popular manifestations directed towards the Queen in her promenades, which, whatever be their origin, 'have been attended with much inconvenience. It appears that on the afternoon of Sunday the 11th, the Queen, accompanied by the Infanta Josephine, proceeded, as is her custom, on a promenade in an open carriage driven by herself. Another royal car riage followed, in which was the Infant Don Fran cisco de Paulo, her father in-law. Numerous crowds of persons had previously collected along her in tended route. On arriving at the fountain of Cybele, her Majesty was saluted by the acclamations of an immense crowd which waited for her. A number of persons were ready to present to her a crown of flowers, and various poetical compositions printed on silk. One individual approached her carriage, the progress of which was stopped by the great num-1 bm of persons which blocked up the road, and addressed her Majesty in the following terms : " Madam,—The liberal people, the friends of their constitutional Queen, of liberty, and of national inde pendence, offers this feeble testimony of its respect for your royal person, which your Majesty will deign to accept, and not forget your people, who have received you with such enthasisam." The Queen answered, " Yes ; I am a Spaniard :" and accepted the garland. At the same time a number of white doves were Übe lrated, bearing various inscriptions, one of which was i ltaken by the Queen and given to the Infant Don Francisco ; and another was confided to her chief ' equerry. Her Majesty, according to the report of the Eco del Comercio, appeared to be gratified with these Imarks of enthusiasm. Other journals represent the I scene as being most inoonvenient and disrespectful to the royal person. When the people shouted " Long live the Queen ! and liberty for ever!" her Majesty replied, "Yes: liberty for ever! and to prove your devotion to it, leave me at liberty to continue ray drive." Private letters represent the scene as being an exphrion of popular enthusiasm which had at first no seditious character, the manifestations being con fined to cicala in honour of the constitutional queen, liberty, and the constitution. Later, however, on the return of the Queen from her drive , the vacifiratione, of the people are represented to have assumed a more grave and significant character. Such exclama tions as "Death to the moderados ?' " Death to the King !" " Long live the natioaal guard!" were heard. The crowd at last became so dense as completely to stop the progress of the royal party, and the civic guard were compelled to open a passage for the carriages. At this moment a shot was fired ftom the crowd which wounded one of the police. the Queen appeared slightly intimidated at one par ticular mosant,. wham the crowd closed round - her ctrrisgo said garoartoodasd her person. On Monday it was famed th at Shags: Scenes would bb repeated, but pleat of reprise* were *plied; sad 'the Qom* WantiMfoitthiditainetiude; she lied Is? me Mort, a poach whisk she had die (hi Monday, tba:Miniider of the Interior being quest:broad in tbelthamber respecting -them circum stances., declared that they were altogether Unforeseen and unexpected, but that strict measures would be takep:tbr the maintenance of order and the I , enriv - at the royal person. It was believed, however, thiM the tr,inisters had obtained a clue to the discovery of the authors of the disorders, and that it in feat originated with the agents of the party re curtly expelled from the government and the palace. On the evening of Su.iday two individuals beet been arrested, M. Avareleta, who was sent under an escort to a prison in Alioant, and Chico, late minister of police, who was sent to a prison in Almeria. A proclamation was issued by the Minister of Grace and Justice, on the evening of Sunday, announcing regulations for the repression of similar proceedings. M. Olozaga arrived at Madrid on the evening of the Ilth. The proceedings el Sunday appeared to give the Queen no alarm oe messiness on her own account, as she continued to appear at the theatres and bull fights as before, and was every where received with the same enthusiasm. CONSTANTINOPLE, MARCH 31. The three or four British merchants who reside in this capital, set on foot a few weeks since asuisseription for the Irish. In performing this act of christiau charity, there worthy men determined that none ahould parielpate in it but true and loyal protestants. In obeying obis of the dictates of heaven by contributing to the relief of their starring countrymen, they were at least resolved to do so sit respectable company. There has existed here for some time past a charitable so ciety, called the Conti remyeesi St. Vincent de Paul. The members of this socirtj wishing to assist in what they consi dered a benevolent object, prop .eed to contribute to the sub scription; but to their great sea prise their offer was rejected, on the ground that these worth, British merchants could not associate themselves with papists, even in t:.e performance of an act of charity. As, howess r, the members of the society of St. Vioeeut de Paul did not exactly see the justice of this reasoning, they applied for advice to Mr. Wtilesley, the English minister, who at one • cons rated to assist them in every way in their charitsli'e uhilertsking. When this reached the ears of the ~00d protests cats of Galata, they immediately changed th,ir intention of giving the money they bad s 'fleeted for the relief of the starving lrmh, and devoted it to the relief of the poor of Great Britain. The subscription, however, undertaken by the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, has had an immense succeed. People of every nation and of every creed have joined in it ; and it has united, in a sentiment of common charity, the Manumm, den, the Chris tian. the Jew, and the Pagsn. It has created throughout the Ottoman empire • sympathy for the sufferiuge at the unhappy Irish which, in • East, had never before existed for any Christian people. The Sultan himself, the head of the Mahommeelem world, tree suttee:our of the prophet, in sending to Mr. Wellesley t e sum of 1,0001. for tee relief of the Irish, accompanied the gift by exprtseions roneeive.l in the noblest spirit of philan• :ropy and umversal benevolence. Each of the ministers am: high leuctienaries of the empire are preparing to follow the sample of his Majesty, and there is every reason to believe t ,at the money, which has already been deposited in the has of tile. Wellesley, will, in a len days, be increased to several thousand pounds. No people in the world er• morn keenly alive be acts of injustice than the Turks, and amongst perhaps no other people are the orinciples of • benevolence more strongly impresse,. Charitable foundations ore more numerous in Turk. y than in any part of the world, and acts of private bounty are here, scrimps, more frequent and more general than in the Ctirciuso ',shoos of Europe. The example of exclusive intolerance, given by the mess chants of Galata, produce:l a general feeling of indignation, the more so, as it con; dined strangely with the *nobl, charities of the society of St. Vincent de l'seul. In their establishment at (Salem, co .h day may be seen crowds of the unfortunate of eve ry nation and of every creed, who receive medicine, food, or clothe-, as their wants :may require. Suffering is the only title eecessary. There is no question of country or of religion ; that one is wretched is enough. The other duties of the ne sobers of the conference are to seek out those who bide their borrows in their miaerable homes, or who are imps :oned there by disease. It is a charity like this, which in tenderstood in a country, where only that is understood which speaks to the senses; it is a charity like this, which had done more to humanise the people of this empire than could have been effected by thousands of battidekeriffs. The news of the expected arrival of a British squadron in the Piraeus, the concentration of troops on the frontiers of Greece, and the increased wrtivity in the war department, excited much attention at Constantinople. The French ambassador observing to his colleagues the critical condition of the question at imu • between the two cabins, proposed a rethement by the athitristion of a European sovereign. The Austrian and Prua,ian ministers were ready to accede to thin au. ;cation, bat the ansbame4ors of England and Russia declit, d such a proceeding without lurther instructions from tit it government. All diploma , tic relations were to have ome•ed on the Ist of April. MALTA, Arun, s.—The affairs of Turkey and her dependencies are at present the chief topics which interest the politicians of this place. The Locust steamer left this on the 2nd inst., with imports it despatches from the British cabinet for Sir Edward Lyoi.e, and for the senior naval caner in the Levant. Cap . tin Collier. We anxiously await intelligence from Tunia ; French intrigue will, no doubt., ultimately embroil that regency with the Sultan. The evected appearance of Prince De Juinville in these waters, with • squadron of four line of battle ships and two steam-frigates on Ids way to Athens, adds • some significance to what is p "log is Greece. The Ripon is still here, the dell ctive state of her engines preventing her from proceedin; to Alegsndria. On her arrival the Arid got up her steam and proceeded with the mails and passengers to Alegniii:ria. It was fortanetp that there were but few passengers, or some must had Waited at Malta to be taken on by the direct French boat of the 7th, aid have run every risk of missing the mail for Sues. MOROCCO.—Tyxts.—A letter in the Toid,nnais from Gerbi, in the regency of Tunis, states that M. Reggio, the British consular rgent there, had been ill treated publicly in the market place, alter • dispute with some of the dealers. On arriving at his residence, M. Reggio was waited upon by the civil and military authorities, who were greatly astonished to find that the aggressors belonged to the Bey's troops. An English draconian was sent to the Where in command, who replied that if any attempt was made to arrest the offenders, the ether troops (geneses), would rise against the authorities. A courier was immediately despatched to Sir Thomas Heade, British Con sul-central at Tunis, to inform him of the circumstance. Sir homes Reade waited upon the Bey and desnansion that the should be arrested, and the goueses recalled from erbi. The Bey complied with the first demand, and sant threesuperior officers to carry out his ceders.. ebt (5 , 0K1L H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yesterday at Buckingham Palace, end remained to lnetheon with her Majesty and Prinee Albert. Her Majesty and Prince Albert honoured the per formance of the French plays with their presence yesterday evening. The royal suite consisted of the Countess of Mount Edgecumbe, Hon. Mir Cavendish, Lord Byron, MsjoikOen. Wimple. and Captain the Hon. A. K. tiordon. Mr. Bancroft, the American Minister, returned to town, on Saturday. from PitiS, The Earl of Denbigh had an interview with Sir George Grey —Sir .1. Id Neill had else en interview with the Right Run. Baronet yemerday at the Rome Office,—Mr. Citifies Butler haul an interview oith the Chantsllor of the Exchequer at his official residence in llowningotreet.—Mr. Marshall and a deputation had an interview with the Right lion. Edward Strutt at the office of the Commissioners of Railways, in Great George-street. Fl iac.bffi The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for 'Anil had a committee meeting at their office in Whitehall- • Despatches were sent off from the Colonial ce for the Governor of Ceylon, We Cape of Good Hope, agd the North AllleriOLll provinces. GENERAL CONFERENCE OF DE,LEGATES IN OPPOSITION TO THE HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. _ Yesterday a general conference of the delegates of the metropolitan parishes, of Brighton, end other proadecial towns, in oppwitioa to • he Health of Towns Bill, was held at the Court-house, Marylebone. The Rev. Dr. Spry toirk the chair. Sir B. Hall, But . M.P., Sir J. Hamilton, Bart. end a large number of the vestry of !dm 'these wire pri:sent. The rev. attire:lan, in opeelog the basiasse, declared kis opinion to be that the propeeedlbill was most obeesioas to the feelingeof all who desired to maintain the bleeder of local freedom ; it was not to the object, Mato the machinery of the bill he objected. The Mil win bleed on the principle of centralization, and not upon mpreeentation, end was, in fact, a bill for the increase of government patronage. Sir B. Hell concurred in whet had bent said by Dn'llipry be had already intimated to Lord J. Reseal the determine,- 'Coo of every part in the metropolis to mist the bill. If it should be attempted to pee it into a law this eseden, be felt confident the attempt would be defeated. Mr. 0. Daniell said a more hamfeeeet stommote-them. the proposing of this bill had never been eimiejaas . the total repeal of every locally-elected repreireathin by any ministry what ever. Mx. C. Davis, of St. Lcooard, Shoreditch, said the trustees of that parish were determined to give lASI . all the oppolition to their power. Mr. Barnet, of St 'a hathe-Bast concurred with the other speakers and the determination of the peril t by which he was delegated to op [ pose eter, the mr:nm , ei l tse . rn• . o . f 5 e. 1 7 t t r i slination , a .. ~.1 11 1 1;....ritt I Clarke, 471oplar, addressed the greens& and dada,* the reeolation of those they represented eo be to engem the MUM*. A. 'umber to resolution., in accordance with the views of the meeting, were then carried, and a vote of thanks having been pared to me *airman. theiseeting separated. _ ~ ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIO4. , —E. inarrl meeting of this society was held yeet=ttei house Timm, St. Sameseboet.. Melodist prodded. lite • ism the let OM Sone bathe filst of March lootatodioo 4t_w_orkielt the Lett balance of 4871. 1114teeriatieMo, Wit; 1421., and and the interest an , The was 6741. Bs., leavig4h ab a/in g es2lo94. 10s. announced that Sir &Mined SI - p • ' ht02146"._._: P.. . to vtoottl for - 111•111.1111111. ' , Itell the ..t Pty ei.' then elect. rt t chased. After a giving ries to some sates proceeded f relief, between id The proceedings i WESTIAINSTI meeting oi the /WOO, was 1.• dap of die fareilation, ambient was ,I °See, and Admiral hilCialie, and Admiral , were elected rice-presidents. A. itise to prepare tlw publication the p • ~..... 11$1 * to the.ppitent time. Kr. . y l ~...7. ... auditor. in the room pf r ,-- •••• ' • ut. r d ver..l propontioss,'edi • ~,,,,• kis , an • ',:ot some d leSiiien, fe ,l i° 46. ' 0 4.4fte• WI did to aumidir the claims , - • ' wid a whont.the sum of about •, • • wis • •••? e, -, ~ .e. oat nits then terminated. 11 in ER ELECTION.—Last . - :. the committee sod suppo -4 , • _ .4, held in the Crown and . ill . iliP