The Sun. — London, England, 1856-03-07 00:00:00

e leenla be open to inspection, but that the inspecto rs should is all cases be appointed with the c onsent of t he archbishop and the bishop of tho diocese. lam not sure that I am quite right in this, but, at all events, that some Church authority should be a party to the appointment. So it observed that, with respect to the Church schools, the inspectors being thus appointed, the Church being cons emoted with the State, reviewed the accounts, and inspected the religions as well as the secular education. As to the other schools, the British and Foreign School Society, the Wisloyans, and afterwards the Roman Catholics, asked for a similar condition to that already agreed upon, that while they admitted the right of inspection they required that no inspector should be appointed who was repugnant to them in any way, and to whose appointment they were not, in so far as having the power to object, parties. But with regard to all those bodies—the Established Church, the British and Foreign School Society, the Wesleyans, aid the Roman Catholics—their principles are well known ; it is perfectly well known that they will in their sch o ol s g ive religions instruction according to the tenets w hich they hold sacred, and therefore the Committee of P rivy Council, in handing over to them the grants"th e y ma ke a aid of their schools, have full security as to the character of the educatios. With regard to all these societi es have inspection as the secular education , an d we ha v e (Hear, ample security that religious instruction is gi ven. , hear.) There has been a dispute , and it is worth t he while of the house to attend to it fora moment, inasmuch as it tends to show the manner in which the religious in struction is carried into effect—there has been a dispute between the British and Foreign School Society and the body of Unitarians as to the mode of teaching. The British and Foreign School Society declared at the com. meacement that their dchools were schools for all sects —that they should read and teach the Bible in theta, but would adopt no particular formulas either of the Church or of any denomination of dissent. The Unita rians sa y, "It is true that is your rule, but by oral in struction you do give teaching on certain distinctive doc trines of Christianity from which we conscientiou s ly dis sent, and you have, consequently, sot carried into effect sh e principle of equality yen professed." The British and Foreign School Society say in reply that th e y have only taught what they consider to be the plain meaning of the Bible lessons that are read. But it is obvious that in their teaching they do give instruction in those distinctive doctrines which separate the Church from all those bodies of dissenters which are called orthodox dissenters, and which separate them also from the Unitarians. (Hear.) The system assumes to be to give the utmost latitude in reading the scriptures, and though the Roman Catholics and the Wesleyans may have nothing to say, in one and all it may be said that definite instruction - in religious subjects is given in the schools that receive aid from the Privy Councilerants. Such is the state of the case. I am not now asking whether the system was wisely adopted ; but I think the house should know what is the security they have that religious instruction is given, and what is the plan upon which the grants are made. When we propose that an education rate should be levied. I ant aware that it is impossible to bind the ratepayers to give the money they raise byrnsans of the rate either exclusively to the Church schools or to the schools of any denemination ; they must necessarily have great latitude and libertyleft to them as to the education they give—(hear) —but the ques tion arises whether any condition whatever should lee im 'posed upon them and if any, what that condition should be. (Rear.) This is a question of the utmost gravity and importance ; it is one which the house may have frequently to eousider, and it is one also which I am far from saying that I have arrived at any conclusion upon that may not be overturned hereafter by the decision of the house. Bat what the conclusion is that I have arrived at I will now state. Is the two cases I have mentioned as the free states that I have established schools, viz., Switzerland and the United States of America, a very different course has been pursued. So far as I understand it, the State of Berne gives a Protestant instruction, while the Canton of Fri . boarg gives a Raman Catholic education ; but in each case those who are unwilling to receive the religious instruction afforded—that is the Roman Catholics in Berne and the Protestants in Fribourg—are at liberty to absent them selves from it, provided their parents express a desire that they should do so ; and in this way the principle of religi ons liberty is recognised and respected. But the States of New England, and more especially Massachatsstts, have taken a different course, and it is, I think , desirable that the house should know what that coarse is, and what aro • the general opinions upon it, so that when they come ulti mately to decide, they may be enabled to have all the points bearing upon the matter under their consideration. The statutes of Massachusetts enact : It shall be the duty of the president, professors, and tutors of the University of Cambridge, and of the several colleges, and of all precepters and teachers of academies and all other instructors of youth, to exert their best endeavours to im press on the minds of children and youth committed to their care and instruction the principles of piety and justice, and a sacred regard to truth, love their country, humanity, and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, and frugality, chas tity, moderation, and temperance, and those other virtues which are the ornament of human society, and the basis upon which a Republican Constitution is foundcl, ttc. Xis obvious as far as these words are concerned that they might have been enacted by a senate such as that of Rome was before the introduction of Christianity—for there is nothing in them that gives any Christian sanction or Chris tian character to the schools ; but with respect to the effect, Mr. Twisleton on the one side, and Mr. Tremenheere on the other, have each given the impression they have received, while several men of great eminence in the United States— Mr. Webster, Mr Everett, Mr. Winton, and Mr. Prescott, and many others eminent in literature aid political affairs, have given their opinion in favour of the system, and state that receiving the secular instruction which the children do receive in the public schools of Massachusetts in the week, and afterwards on the Sunday receiving distinctive religious instruction in the Sunday-schools, or at home, they are brought up as good Christians. and the religious character of the state is preserved. An Episcopal minister, Bishop Eastburn, of Massachusetts, says it is a fact that none who are supposed to entertain religious sentiments can be employed as teachers. That is a great testimony coming frem such a person—and if it be tram that no per son who is even suspected of irreligious opinions is ever employed in teaching, and the ministers of religion are zealous and active in their duties, and if also there pre vails, as there does in New England, and has from the asst arrival of the emigrants from this country, by whom the Neer England States were founded—a religious and Chris. tian sentiment, it may he perfectly true that these schools may favour the Chris! inn character of the country. On the ether hand, however,nr.Tremenheere speaks as though there were some suspicion of the teaching of such achoois, and as though he observed in the papils a want of Chris tian knowledge. All I can say is, that I should be .loth to offer any opinion that was opposed to that of men so emi nent as those whose names I have quoted, and I should be loth above all to give an opinion as to a particular scheme of education which has been, after full consideration, adopted by wise men in a ferei,gn country. (Hear.) If is should be the case that the Christian character of the coun try is preserved, and that brotherly love and Christian charity are inculcated it these schools, I should rejoice in the fact, but with regard to oar own country I feel that net only are these high authorities opposed to it, but that there is a strong public sentiment prevailing which would strongly disapprove of the enactment of such a law as that fa which I have alluded. In the first place, I would ask leave of the house to read the opinion of a man, whose opinions, whenever they are quoted, are always received with deference and respect—the opinion of one of the most virtuous and piously-animated of our public teachers—l mean the late Dr. Arnold. (Hear.) Re says : Oa the whole, I am quite clear as to my original position, namely, that if you once get off from the purely natural ground of physical science, philology, and purely logical-- the moment, in short, on which you enter wi moral subjects, whether moral philosophy or history, you must either be Christian or Antichristian ; for you touch upon the ground of Christianity, and you must either take it as your standard of moral judgment, or you must renounce it, and either follow another standard or have no standard at all. In other words, again, the moment you touch on what alone is education-- the forming the moral principles and habits of Man—neutra lity is impossible ; it would be very possible if Christianity consisted really is a series of theoretical truths, as many seem to fancy ; but it is not possible, inasmuch as it claims to be the paramount arbiter of all our moral judgments, and he who judges of good and evil, right and wrong, without reference to its authority, virtually denies it. That is the opinion of Dr. Arnold, ;ad I will add that it is the opinion of one of the present inspectors of schools a man of very great i n t e lli gence, and whose experience is , at all events worth consulting in reference to the workin g of our present nati ona l sc h oo l s—the Rev. Mr. Cookl have taken from him the account of the secular studies of the schools and the proficiency of the scholars in geography, arithmetic, and other subjects of education. He say: • goes on to I have confined my observations hitherto to the secular se ptet of school studies, because ed . njections were generally made by persons who believe net the time of children in na tional schools is absorbed by the Church catechism and un intelligent reading of the Old Testament. But I do feel bound once mere to hazard an opinion, deliberately formed and confirmed by a long and minute acquaintance with the work ing of elementary schools, that the one great influence which has elevated and developed the intelligence of these children, which has given clearness and accuracy to their perceptions, which has moulded their judgment, exercised their reason, and expanded their imagination, has been the careful and un interrupted study of the Word of God. The religious instruc tion is onr best reboots is of au excellence which has never break rivalled in any system of national education, and whieh can be appreciated only by those who have had opportunities both of constantly examining the children under instruction, and of watching the effects of that teaching upon their con-' , duct iu after life. I know many young men and women who are now doing th e i r duty humbly rand faithfully in th e ir ap pointed sphere of adieu, who gr.:WilliY attribute the measure oione su , cce nstr ss thauctiohn, t as rewarded their exertions to their impree e i and hale.ta acceuired in national schools. N o w, air, I think the. opinion of Dr. confirmed Arnold asit is by the ezperiehe o of this enlightened officer of the Committee of Council of Educati on, t • weight in determinin g thi s po i nt. I ea' r: l no u t s butift ]save myself, that there is only, in fact, one question to wiz., whether you will l eave th e i nstruction given c i o n n i s i r i d e z as:keels confined to those secninr subjects to which I have adverted, or whether you will introduce into them moral instruction also ! If you confin e y ourse l ves to arithmeti ' and ge o g ra ph y , an d suc h lik e studies, it is not necessary that you should have any particular religion at all, bet when you say more than this-- and I believe everybotly says more—that what yen seek in e lucating the young is to give them moral impreesione which are favourable to the good order of society and the due performance of their social duties in after life, those impressions which are likely to be usefel to them here, and conduce to the elevation of their nnderstandirgs and their well-being in all future time —I think, then, that yen cannot teach these moral princi ples apart from the Christian religion. Bat, whil e it i s desirable that this should ho carried into effect, there is no doubt very great practical difficulties in the way ; if you pass the subject over altogether, and maintain, as I have said in the resolution, that schools shall bo established and schoolmasters appointed, you may appear to be neglectful of the great object in view; and if, on the other hand, you preecribe too much, and give an advantage to the Esta blished Church over any other relirdens denomination, then the great principle of religious liberty is infringed. The only conclusion, therefore, at which I can arrive is, that the authority of the Holy Scriptures should be gene- i rallylacknowledged in all the schools. I think Parliament may fairly say, that in all schools established by the State the Scriptures shall be read daily; hut, at the same time, that any parent or guardian who may wish that his child should not receive that instruction shall be at liberty to withdraw the child during the hours that that instruction is being given. Ido not think that we can pa's the sub ject over altogether, nor do I think, on the other hand, this that resolution we can venture to g o f ur th er than I propose to do in That in every school supported in w h o l e or i n part by rate's, a portion of the Holy Scripture, should be read daily •. , n the school, and sucli.,other proyision .slierekl4ye • naaelo for' religions inistinetion as the school committee may think fit, 'ant 'that yo child sinnlcl he c'....mpelled to cosine any religions ~, instruction, or attend any religious worship, to which his er her parents orguardiaus shall onconscientious grounds object." Of course when any bill on the subject, empowering rating for school purposes, is brought forward, it must be dis cuss d, and it is possible that the house may come to a different conclusion from that to which I have arrived but, while I agree that the grants should be given, as they have hitherto been, to ail these various d enom inations, youwould not treat fairly all classes if y ou did no t, on the one hand, require that the Scriptures should be read in the schools, - and , on the other, give full freed o m to the parents to withhold their children from receiving it. After this part of the subject comes a difficulty to which I have al ready adverted, and which is one of the greatest difficulties connected with the question, and that is, tho subject of the attendance of children at schools after the age of ten or eleven years. The house, I believe, will entirely agree with me in thinking that the education of a child which is to end at the age of nine or ten is not likely to impress the minds and hearts of the growing generation. I believe that all must agree that it is desirable that every means should be used to secure the attendance of children between the ages of 10 and H. With regard to a portion of the community there have been already enactments, and Mr. Horner has pointed out, in a late report, that they have been entirely successful. I allude to those enactments of the Factory Act which require the attendance of chil dren at school during some portion or other of their time. Mr. Homer says, not only that the system has been stle• ceesful, bat he says, what has been confirmed by others conversant with the working of the schools in question, that the children who attend, some for half the day, and many more who attend in the afternoon, bestow each in tense attention on their lessens that they are fully compe tent to compete with others who attend for whole days in the schools, for the office of school teachers. If that is the case, there may be cases in which there should be enact ments by which children might be sent half the day to school and half the day to work, or there might be enact ments by which an employer should be compelled to give certain days in the year for the attendance of children at schools. It has been stated by more than one of the in spectors that the employers not only do not give facilities for the children's attendance at schools, but there are many cases in which it is made a condition with the boys and children employed that they should notattend schools, and thus they are entirely debarred from receiving the benefits of education. There is, perhaps, a difficulty in framing such an enactment, but I propose in my next resolution that " it shall be incumbent on the employers of young children be tween the ages of 9 and 15 to give certificates half-yearly of the attendance of those children in schools, and that they should pay for such instruction." With regard to the last part of the resolution, I may say that I find that a noble lord who is a great employer of labour—a noble lord who is a most enlightened man, and who has always shown a great regard for the welfare of those who work for him— I mean Lord Ellesmere—has provided that all !children under a certain age in his works shall contribute 6d. a week for the purposes of schools which are established and which they attend, and I do not see that it is impossible or unrea sonable that what Lord Ellesmere doe. of his own free will for the benefit of these persons who work for him should also be done in the case of every one under the authority of Parliament. There remains, however, a large class of children with whom it is still more difficult to deal, I mean that class I have before alluded to, of children between 10 and 15, who neither go to school nor work, who a re not eat ployin any way, but idle about the streets and fields. Ido net think it is possible—l should he very glad if it were—to compel the parents of those children to send them to school. By no enactment is it possible to reach that part of the population of Birmingham or Sheffield, where a large number of children are never attendants at school. But it is possible to go so far as toascertainthereason why parents do not send boys to schools who earn no wages ; and it is perhaps that they are too poor and cannot bear the expense, and thus often children between 8 and 10 who have been at school are taken away. "I know, from the reports of schools in this neighbourhood—that in the Borough-road, for instance—that many parents would be glad to have their children who are not employed receiving instruction in schools, and so kept out of the mischief and danger of the streets. If it could be made possible, I should be glad that every child between 8 and 11 years of age, when not em ployed, should be enabled to receive some education. There is vne scheme which has been adopted in Staffordshire, which is called by Mr. Tremenheere the prize scheme ; that is, a system of giving prizes to those children who re m tin at school after a certain age. Another way might be that, in case of the children remaining after 12 or 13, the school fees should be diminished. Another way might be to have evening schools ' • and there isanother way, in which my hon. friend near me (Mr. Evart) wih, I am sure, agree with me, and that is by 'inviting young men to attend libraries adapted to their capacities, which would contri bute at once to their amusement and instruction, and con duce to the keeping up of the arts of reading and writing, which they have learnt in early ago, and which otherwise would have boon given up. Not long ago I had a conver sation with a clergyman of Oxfordshire, who had estab lishes a village library, whichhe told me was most success ful. A room was lighted up in the evening and furnished with books and periodicals, and tea and coffee provided for those who could afford to have them, and he found it was fully attended by the eons of labour. I think that some such provisions might be put in force in the first in stance by the Committee of the Privy Council, and after that by means of enactmeut. I propose, therefore, as my last resolution, " that it is exp e di en t t o encourage by means of prizes, by the diminishing of school fees, and by the establishment of libraries , the instructio n o f young per eons between the age s o f 12 and 15." These are the resolutions en which I found the proposals on this great subject which I shall make to the house. Whether the resolutions are adopted or not, I believe they are at all events calculated to reach the whole extent of the case. I think that I ought not to have attempted less. If any ono can do it better, let him do it; but I believe that in the present state of the world and the state of the country, no one ought to attempt less than a complete education of the people. I have heard much of dangerous classes; bat Lbelieve there is 110 class more dan gerous than that which acquires a little reading and a little knowledge without any instruction in religion or any knowledge of the political institutions of the country. I believe that if Parliament was to provide by law for the education of the young, those very ci sees might become the support of all our institutions, correcting them where they are defective, examining them with a jealous and sus picious eve lest abuses should exist in them, but not falling off from their loyalty to or despising the institutions of thei forefathers. I ought to soy that no such plan could be car ried out without a considerable increase of expenditure. I find on looking to various returns, and especially to a work f Sir John Kaye Shuttieworth, to whom, and to his F rather, Mr. Elle, we owe veryvalnable inferior, dad bv their repent that 174. a-year is the calculated expense of each child in attendance at the schools already established, Sir James Kaye Shuttleworth eels that Isis, each is the ex• pease taking away the cost of the house in which the schoolmaster lives. If I.Bs. a-year is the expense of each child, you could not educate the 3,000,000 children of whom I have spoken fora less snot than 3,210,00 J/. a-year. Rut that sum might be contributed in various ways—by subscriptions, by school-pence,by charitable d ona ti on , b y endowments, and by rates. tis not a l arge sum as com pared with the sum given by foreign countries for this ob ject, or as compared with the greatness of the object in view. I have now stated what 1 think is the be,t plan for a system of general education. If a better can be adopted let it be adopted, but I do hope that ere long the legisla lature will undertake to deal with the subject of national education, and not allow religious differences or financial considerations to stand In the way of raising the religious, moral, and political character of this country, and that some such plan an 1 have indicated will ere long be adopted. (" Heir, hear," and cheers.) Mr. HENLEY said hp felt certain the house would agre e with him in thanking the noble lord for the clear and lucid spanner is which he had brought this question forward. (Cheats.) He did not mean to enter into a discussion o the question then, as the noble lord hail stated it was not his intention to ask the house to express au opinion that night on the resolutions he had submitted to them ; but there were several points on which he wished to has e tome further information--that of the financial part, awl the manner in which he proposed to deal with that large class who did not go to school at all. He (Mr. Henley) had heard with satisfaction the expression of opinion from the noble lord, who was a great authority on the question, that whatever system be adopted, it must be bas.-d on the great principles of Christianity. (Loud cheers.) There were no parents in the country but could readily under stand the benefit of their children learning the elements of arithmetic, with reading and writing, but if they added the elements of certain sciences, and a competent knowledge of political economy—(laughter)—they might talk for a week before they made parents of the bumbler classes understand what they meant. It was no use saying to a man, do not take yotir child away from school at ten years, because if he remains he will be taught those sciences. He would probably reply—sir, my boy can earn 4s. a-week. I do understand the necessity of filling the child's belly, but political economy is a thing I do not un derstand, therefore I think it better to let him earn some I money. He (Mr. Henley) did not think the noble lord had at all overstated the number of children who did not at tend school ; he thought he had rather understated it. He should be glad to give the resolutions all the consideration which their importance demanded, as well as on account of the character and ability' of the noble lord who introduced them to the house. But he thought the noble lord hail gone somewhat oat of his immediate object in dealing with the charities of England. The no blelord's plan opened a wide door for such a diversion-of funds from the charities as might in some persons' minds appear something like spoliation. (Hear.) The noble lord, in touching upon the subject, was hardly fair upon honourable and learned mem bers of that house, from whom they received the greatest possible assistance. lie said that, "in consequence of the large infusion of the. Chancery element in that and the other House of Parliament, he was hopeless of getting any such matter satisfactorily arranged to his mind." He (Hr. Henley) thought such an assertion unworthy of the noble lord. He thought the principle of the Chancery element in that house was the principle of human justice. The house had sanctioned that principle of justice which the Chancery element had brought so prominently before it. He believed that the reason why that element had induced the Houses of Parliament not to sanction the spoliation of charitice, had no such motive as that attributed to it by the noble lord. The noble lord, in his eight or nine resolu tions, had given them a thesis ler larger than they were able to master without mature consideration, they should therefore be better able to discuss the question when he should please to invite them. It was a subject iron Which they a ll h a d b ut , one i nterest, that of doing what vast best for the humbler classes of their feli.'ene-couatry men, that they might have their moral anet intellectual fa culties developed so as to be a bl e to "ell discharge their them duty ill the st ation to which it hati pleased God to call . Lord R. GrROSVEI,.TOR, In calling the attention of the house to a portion of the system of education which tho noble lord below him had not noticed, begged to thank him for the manner in which he had brought the question be fore the house. He did not think the noble lord hal at tempted too much ; if the question had not been brought in its bearings before the house, they should have been inkdequately prepared to enter into a general diseusiien. The hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Healey) had complained of introducing the elements of sci.,,nc„,.d politi :al eco nomy into the primary schools .)f the conut:y. Ile con curred with the hon. gentler:fan that that was a fault in their system of education. He should like to see the con tinental system followed of primary schools, and oth ers o f a higher character, where w h en talent developed' itself i n the primary school's it might be cultivated and obtain the position of respectability to which it was entitled, and where it might be available for the benefit of the commu nity. In consequence of the want of these schools in this country the talent of the lower classes remained without being brought forward. He hoped the nobl3 lord would not lose sight of that Point in any measure he might bring forward. The neeegeity of educating the lower classes was so-imperative that 1, 0 really thought some compulsory eye?. tenrofsenforcing t l itatfenlance of their children would be justifiable.- He 4 ,bnught also that the plan of not allowing misters to eaiGoy I.:boLucis 7,11.) did IPA p.53:53 a Cal tili• cate of attendance at school might be resorted to with ad vantage. The employment of evening schools was also an object of great importance in any system of national education, and he trusted that in the discussion which would take place on the matter those points would be fully considered. Mr. ADDERLEY thought the merit of the noble lord's resolutions was that they were not new. After having led the house for many years through resolutions and select committees to consider the subject in every possible shape, he now led them back to his original form of resolution. There were many modes of arriving at a complete system of national education, and he (Mr. Adderley) had hoped, when the great and important city of Manchester some years ago petitioned Parliament to be allowed to rate itself for the purpose of education within the city, that Pal lia meat would have seen the wisdom of trying a great national question in a locality which was ready to solve that ques tion for the rest of the country. If they had made up their minds to abandon the system of local rates as a basis for national education, they could tot do better than adopt the noble lord's proposal of grants out of the Consolidated Fend. He did not think the Privy Council system of grants in aid so fitted for a free country as the plan of local rates, but as the plan of local rates was supposed to involve reli gious difficulties, they 'could not do better than fall balk upon the system which was already established. He hoped the noble lord would abandon the last part of his scheme ; if he did, he thought the thanks of the country would be due to him for having suggested a practi ca l p l an. H e thought the standard of eucation too high; to secure the attend ance of children the parents must, understand that what their children were being taught would be of practical value to them in their after life. Only let that be done, and the difficulty of non-attendance would be surmouuted. The first portion of the noble lord's suggestions was most desirable—the proposal to codify the minutes of the Privy Council of Education was a great improvement on what bad been done the year before. He supposed the proposal of adding 80 subordinate school inspectors to the 30 inspec tors already existing was necessary for efficiently carrying out the Byte's, but that branch of the question would re quire much consideration, for it was - of the highest impor tance that the system of inspectorship should be adequate. If the noble lord contended manfully with the diffi culty of charitable fends, he would cause money to be employed usefully which was then employed in doing mischief. To compel employers to give certificates, and. send children employed by th em t o school, was a most' va luable suggestion, but he doubted whether it was applicable to agricultural districts. As he had before observed, he thought that part of the bill which related to the matter of rates would involve the noble lord in religious diffieul ties. He hoped the noble lord would disembarass his mea sure of the portion respecting libraries and evening classes. If the taste for reading were created libraries would follow of themselves. Mr. J. E. DENISON thanked the noble lord for the complete measure he had submitted. The advantage of his resolutions was, that they enabled all to start with com plete satisfaction. In contemplating the questieu it had occurred to him that the only practical course for the house to take was to commence, as the noble lord had suggested, by examining the minutes of the Privy Council ; he had proposed that those minutes should be revised and consoli dated. The noble lord stated that he would not enter into the examination of those minutes, because there would be other Opportunities of doing so. He (Mr. Denison) would point out where he thought these minutes might be amended. The intention of public grants of asssistance by public money was, that the most destitute would receive the assistance of the State ; but, aecoidiug to the rules of the Committee of Privy Council, those who were not able to help themselves could not receive any assistance from the State. If, for instance, a poor parish or district raised a small sum, but not equal to the ' whole sum requited, the Committee of. Privy Council said no, this money was not raised entirely in the locality, therefore the committee can only raise your local sum •by an equal amount. He thought that if a palish came forward with the requisite amount it was not necessarytoscrutiuise the source whence that fund was obtained. Again, no aid could be granted fora school without s certificated schoolmaster. The fact of a man's holding a certificate was no test of his being the best man to instruct chiloren in a parish school. All would admit the importance of evening schools in enabling young people to retain and add to what they had acquired before, and one of the minutesof the Privy Council offered the sum ot 101. to assist schoolmasters to establish evening schools, hut again the same restrictions, no assistance to evening schools if the master of the day school class did not boll a urtificate. He thought that a relaxation of those rules would be an advantage. The system of half-time, hitherto acted on only in the manufactaring districts, he knew could he carried out in agricuitulal parishes , for a Casa h a d come under his own obs erva ti, eu i n which, although the children had only half time at school, they had made as much pro gress as those whq had been continuously. He thought to whatever ext'ant the house might sanction th e reso l ut i ons, they woisld promote g enera l if not national education. Mr. O a BUTT felt the evils of the present system of charities to be a subject to which every one would admit that a remedy should be applied. • When the present act instituting the board of charity commissioners waspassed, it was int en d e d th a t th ey s h ould have final and judicial power to dispose of all matters connected with small cha rities. He would suggest that there was no difficulty in deal ing with the question. Were not the present commissioners competent to dispose of such matters without an appeal which would have the effect of swamping the charity. He hoped that when the noble lord came to legislate on the matter ho would, by two or three short clauses, give this ju risdiction to the charity commissioneis, and thus save these charities from being swallowed up in litigation. (Hear ) Mr. ROEBUCK said that the noble lord had propounded a scheme of national education. Helad done so himself 23 years, though without success. lie hoped the noble lord would have greater success, though he had great doubts, for he found that he was met by the sauce difficulties which had impeded every other educational reformer. The noble lord hid stated that it was impossible to separate religious from national edu ca ti o n ; an d t h at the only way to t eachb morals was to teach them as based on Christianity. Now he differed with the noble lord on this point, for the fact was, that there had been morals long before ther e was any Christianity ; an d th ere were mora men who were not Christians- It was dear, therefore, that it was possible to teach morals without teaching any particular form of Christianity. The object of education was to fashion the intellectual and moral man so as to make an individual a good father, son, husband, or citizen. If it did not do that, but merely inw.ructed the intellectual man, no good was done. The man merely became a more fitting instiat went for evil. What he wanted to give to the young was, thcrefcre, first, an intell-cteal, then a moral, and then a religious education. Now, as to the intellectual educa tion, there was little dispute. Every one agreed that its object ought to he to strengthen the intellectual part of man, and to teach him how to conquer nature and snake the best use of his powers. Now, with respect to morals. It was a remarkable thing that the moral code of every sect was pretty nearly the same. In fact, they depended On the civilisation of the country. The moral cede of the Christian of the present day was as different from that of the Christian of the eleventh century, as the moral code of England was from that of Hindoostan. A ,Jew, a Uni tarian,u Presbyterian, a Church of England, and a Catho lic child, would all receive the same moral training, and if so, it was clear that the moral code of the country was settled, and it was that which made the moral man. What then did religion do ? It had no doubt done much to fashion the moral code, but it was now only employed as . a sanction, and in that all those various ieligious bodies agreed. Therfore you could make a man religious in piiit without making him one ;of any peculiar sect, and you could ire - o tics religious 7 teaching to the ex ' teat he had mentioned without introducing that on which there would he any difference of opinion. But when the inoble lord proposed to allow the reading of ' the Bible in his schools, he would shut out many children, and would make his system far from national. If for example a child asked for an explanation of a verse in the Gospel of St. John, it would not be given without in volving doctrinal points; and then the system clearly ceased to be national. That being his view of the matter, he was for giving a good secular edu3ation, and for teaching children the great moral doctrines with their physical, moral, and religious sanctions. He believed that it was necessary to have a more general sy.tem of education than we had at present ; and as he was convinced that it would be impossible to induce the country to sanction any which I was characterise 1 by sectarianism, lie was himself in favour I of the secular system. Sir J. PAKINGTON agreed that this was not the occa sion to discus the propositions of the noble lord, but could not let the discussion close without thanking him for the able, temperate, and impression manner in which he had addressed the house on this importanttsubject. He thon,ght the noble lord had exercised a wise discretion in the form in which he had submitted his plan to the house, for he had himself felt the difficulty which ever attended a private member's attempt to pass a measure on such a subject through the house. Ho had never expected to pass that measure through the house last session, but he was well rewarded for the trouble he had taken if he had been in any degree instrumental in bringing about the establishment of a recognised department of education in the Govern ' ment. Ho hoped also dust he, had been instrumental in separating this question from the category of party ques tions, and in enabling men sitting iu different parts of the house toast together on this question. There was one part of the statement of the noble lord which was put in a man e nor different from what he had ever heard before. He stated that 500,000 of the children now at school were scholars at schools receiving grants from the Privy Coun cil. He was very glad to hear that the proportion of children at school subject to the inspection of the Privy Council was so large, and it certainly gave him a much higher idea of the state of education in this country than he had ever before entertained. In the two main objects which the noble lord stated as his aim he cor dially concurred. He also agreed with the noble lord in thinking that we should go as far as passible with the pre sent system. He should not go into the resolutions of the noble lord. If any one bad 'a right to complain it was the noble earl, the Lord President and the future Vice-Presi dent of tee Council, since they sketched out a plan which it would otherwise have been the duty of the department of education to provide. He could assure the noble lord that it would be his wish to give them the most careful consideration, and to support them as far as lies in his power. With respect to the observations of the lion. and learned gentleman• who had 'last addressed the house, be must repeat what he said last year—that when they dis cussed the , question of secular education they must not only consider what was right in itself, but what was practicable in the present state of feeling of the country. Now, he be lieved that the general feeling of the country was, that any system of education which did not teach children educated in the common schools their duty to God as well as man, was one which could not with propriety and advantage be established. And he believed that So str ong was this feel ing that no Government could run counter to it. After expressing his approbation of the reso l u ti ons o f t h e no bl e lord, whi ch affirmed the principle of an educational rate, the hon. baronet also expressed his concurrence in those portions of the noble lord's plan )vhich referred to provi sions for compelling children sent to work to attend schcol for a certain portion of their time. He thought the prin ciple was perfectly sound. He again thanked the noble lord for the introduction of these resolutions, and should give them as much support as he could. (Hear.) Mr. M. GIBSON admitted that the noble lord had in troduced this subject to the house in a manner adequate to its vast importance, but he war ted to know what proof there was that the public sentiment was opposed to a system of secular education ? There had been )78 meetings in 28 counties i❑ England, and in these resolutions were carried that no system of education should be supported by rates, except a secular system. Prec;sely the same difficulty would befelt about, th e support . of any system of sectarian rah. gious education as was now experienced with regard to' Church -rates, Ho was himself in favour of the eeenlar 9yst,:z2 of education, and he was surpritod to zoo that the noble lord the member for London, and the hon. baronet opposite, while insisting on re li g i ous i ns t ruc ti on , wore y e t willing to reduce it to a shedow—to a degree which ap proached as nearly as possible to secular education, and which no religious man would accept as religious educa tion. Ho thought the areument which had been used against free schools supported by taxes was not valid, for if the ratepayers supported the school they had a right to get an equivalent for the rates they paid. The unfair com petition with private schoolmasters, with respect to which apprehension was expressed, did not at present exist, in consequence of the existence of schools supported by volun tary subscriptions. And he did not think that any harm, but much good, would be done by carrying the principle one stop further. He should be glad to support any part of the system propounded by the noble lord which he could, but he would be no party to the establishment of denomi national schools, which would make every parish a scene of religious strife. He thought it would he better to con fine the education given in the national schools to secular instruction, and let the scholars derive their religious edu cation at Sunday-schools and at home. The experience of the model secular school at Manchester showed that the fact that children attending a secular school was not inconsis tent with their also attending a Sunday-school where they received religious education. Out of 541 boys at that school, there were only 61 who did not receive religious in struction in connection with the Sunday-schools of some denomination. He certainly did hope that the noble lord would not insist on that part of his plan which rendered it necessary that a system of religious education should be supported by public rates. If he did, he (Mr. Gibson) should not be able to support him. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MIALL, although he differed from the principles on which the plan of the noble lord was founded, was quite ready to acknowledge the care and caution with which he had approached a most difficult subject. He thought, how ever, that the noble lord had much under-estimated the amount of the education at present given to the rising generation. It might be desirable that all children between certain ages should be at school, but that was impossible when competition was so severe, and when the parents were so pressed to obtain the means of livelihood. He ap proved of the plan of the noble lord, because it did not lay down an uniform system, but was capable of being adapted to the wanes of the different localities. With respect to the question of religious or secular education, he must say that although he did not rate very highly the religious educa tion at present given in schools, he thought it was of the highest importance that the schoolmaster should not feel himself cramped in the communication of instruction, or in the attempt to exercise a religious influence over the minds of the scholars. But, whatever might be the merits of a system of secular education, it was clear that it was one so much opposed to the feelings of the country that it would be wholly impracticable to establish it in England. One great cause why there was not more appreciation of the benefits of education on the part of the lower classes, lay in the fact that we did not teach the children in our schools that which was useful to them in after life. Teach them " common things ;" let them feel that every day spent at school was a benefit to them in after life, and he believed the people would eagerly avail themselves of any means of education placed at their disposal, and would be ready to pay for them. He was afraid, looking at the state of opiniou to that house and in the coun t r y, th a t the 'mule lord's plan woald fahare the fate of other plans which had preceded it, and that while the members of that house were discussing how the people were to be educated the people would educate themselves. (Hear.) Sir S. NOItTIICOTE did not think that the provi sion of the noble lord with respect to the compulsory attendance of children at school went far enough. There was now a movement for compelling the education of cri minal children, and the noble lord's plan would tell with children whose parents took care to send them to school. But between these two classes there lay a third, from which the criminal population was mainly recruited, And these the noble lord's resolutions would not affect. Now, he feared that unless this were done, the efforts of those engaged in the reformatory movement woul t be alto gether nugatory. An act applying only to Scotland had been passed last year, which enabled magistrates to send to school children running about the streets and doing nothing. It was true that the noble lord propose to hold out certain inducements to attend school to the class he had described. . But then, as he only proposed to give them literary instruction, while it was of main inepoit owe to give them an industrial training, he must say he did not think that the plan of the noble lord went far enough, and he hoped that he would consider whether he could not in troduce a resolution more closely applicable to tha case of these " City Arabs." (Elear.) Mr. BARNES contended that the cruise of education had made rapid progress under the voluntary system, and that it was now less than ever necessary to establish a Govern ment system. He did not think that as much had been done to induce parents to educate their children as might bo done. If a parent neglected to provide food for the child, he was taken before the magistrate and compelled to do so, He did not see why they should not pass an act laying it down as the duty of a parent to provide education for his children, and giving similar means for compelling him to perform that duty. He did not see why, because certain children did not now go to school, a measure should be introduced to deal with the children wha did g to school. He believed that the resolutions of the noble lord would not touch the class of " City Arabs" who mid been referred to by the hon. baronet who had spoken last, and that they would, therefore, totally fail to attain the object which they had iu view. He was sorry to see that the resolutions of the noble lord were principally au elaboration of the sys tem at present in operation, for he thought it was impos sible to read the reports of the educational inspectors without feelin g convinced that it was a f a ilur e , b o th i n so far as it aimed at reaching the poor and at providing for their tuition a class of teachers and a kind of instruction suited to them. He hoped that 'if the resolutions were carried into effect by any enactment they would be consi derably modified, Mr. BIGGS considered that the state of the education of our working population was a disgrace to us. We were only fifth and sixth among the States of Europe in this respect. Now, was it either safe or expedient that this state of things should continue ? He believed that it was not ; nor did he think that the difficulties attendant upon the establishment of a system of national education were insuperable. There had been great difference of opinion as to the state of education amongst the population. He had tested thelown in which he was born, Leicester, and he found that there was ou.y one child in three between the ages of five and fifteen who was at school. In Prussia every child between these ages went to school. Was this a satisfactory state of things ? But this was not all, fur the children remained far too short a time at school, while the instruction given them was of the most unsatisfacto,y character; iu some of the schools at Leicester writing was not taught. He was hioseif in favour of a general system of secular education, which he thought would lay the foundation of a degree of national greatness and prosperity greater far than we had yet attained. (Hear, hear.) After adducing facts and figures to sho w th e ex t en t o f i gnorance and of dficiency in our present means of instruction, the hon. gentleman said that he should support as far as he could any measure introluced by the Government for the purpose, of promoting the spread of education ; and with this view he should be prepared to make large concessions of his own peculiar opium:: and wishes. (Hear, hear.) After a few words from Mr. ALCOCK, who complained of the paltry salaries paid to the roasters, Lord PALMERSTONSaid—Sir,I am sure the house will concur with me in the gratifieation I have felt in listening to the address of the neble lord behind me (Lord John Russell) upon a subject to which he has for so many years given his attention. (Hear, hear.) I think the course he has adopted is the best be could take under the circum stances, namely, to snoreit these resolutions, and abetain from calling upon the house for the expression of any opi nion at this moment. lam sure these resolutions will re ceive the attention that they deserve, and upon some future day the house will be asked to come to some definite deci sion upon the subject. There is an old saying that those who will the end must also will the means, but :hat maxim ,will not apply in the present case. There is no one who wills the great end of popular education more earnestly than my noble friend, and I may say that the will of the coun try tends to the same object. The great difficulty is the moans by which this is 'to be accomplished. cut of the many and various opinions that have been advanced during this debate, some agreeing with the views of my noble friend, and some differing from him, I think we may ex tract this fact, that there is a, unanimous desire that, some arrangement may be come to. It has been said that the lower classes do not sufficiently appreciate the value of education for their children, butt think their omitting to send their children to school may be explained without imputing to them any absence of a proper desire to edu cate their children. Unfortunately, the education hitherto afforded them has not been that which would be useful to children of that class in after life, In some schools they are taught things totally incompatible with their condi tion. (Hear, hear.) In others, they are set to learn the principles of political economy, matters certainly of great nee to those who are ,called upon to apply them in practice, but to the labouriag classes far beyond the requirements of their future "occupation and position. The great object should be to teach them useful things, applicable -to the industrial pursuits in which they may hereafter be engaged. We have various opinions as to the degree to which intellectual culture should be elided to moral and religious instruction. I think, for my own part, that if you do not unite those things, you do not accomplish the true purpose of education. Unfortunately that last point,•religious education, is the rock upon which all parties have split; but it is to be hoped that some principle, which may overcome thiseliffi culty, will, before long, be settled and brought into prac tice. Several hon. gentlemen have taken comprehensive views of this matter that certainly appear calculated to lead to this very desirable end. I will only say further, that I have to thank my noble friend (Lord J. Russell) cot only for the able address with which he has favoured the house this evening, but for the many years of labour he has devoted to this most important su'decte The efforts he has made will always be honourable to himself, and I be lieve they have been of very great advantage to the country. Mr. HADFIELD considered this as only another addi , tion to the many millions of good resolutions that had brought forth nothing. He believed that Government in terference had done more to retard popular education than any other:cease. It stopped those voluntary efforts which had produced most mighty effects when left alone. It was idle to say the working clews did not want education. There were 450 millions of letters went through the Post office annually, and who wrote them? Not the upper or middle classes, but clerks, sprung chiefly from the class this education was intended for. In 1818 there were 477,299 children attending day schools, and in 1851 (four years ago) there were 2,407,416, of whom 2,100,000 at tended Sunday schools. The children attended Sunday schools, and there was the greatest confidence in the 'teachers, who received not a farthing of remuneration. In fact, no class of persons was more respected by the working classes. How was it the children did not go to the slay schools more ? There was no lack of schools or school room ; in fact there was an excess; but these pretended Government arrangements did all the evil, and prevented private efforts. One gentleman in Scotland, Mr. Fergus son, had left 400,000/. for the education of children in Scotland, and many more world follow his example if they were left alone, Mr. STAFFORD said that statistics in connection with education were fallacious. The amount of money which was voluntarily contributed towards education was much greater than that which appet red in the blue books, and an injustice was thereby done to the clergy and country gentlemen for their exertions in this direction. Lord J. RUSSELL thanked the house for the reception they had given his resolutions. He did not expect that they would have been received without dissent, and with regard to the question of secular education, he thought the house would not adopt it. (Hear.) The friends of volun tary education had tried their system for 150 years, and it had been found to be a failure. He eulogised the advan tages of Sunday schools, and said that with regard to the proposal he had laid before tla , house, it had been sug gested to him that it would he better to consider these .re soltitions in a committee of the whale house; and, in con sequence, he proposed- to. withdraw the resolution before the Louse, and WM. inteail that the whole of them be Emily Ryder, 21, a very good-looking and lady-like young woman, was indicted for the wilful murder of Frank Withers Ryder. • The prisoner, ,who appeared in deep distress, was seated during the trial. Mr. Platt prosecuted. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Ballantine. The counsel for the prosecution, in his opening address to the jury, said that the case they were about to in quire into was a very different one from that which had just been disposed of. The unfortunate young lady at the bar was a married woman, in a very respectable position of life, and lad. husband was a commercial traveller. The child whose death was the subject of inquiry was the first the prisoner had had, and, although he was fearful there could be no doubt that it bad met its death at her hand, yet he felt compelled to state at the same time that the evidence would make it appear that from illness of a particular nature,.and which fre quently followed the confinement of women, she was in such a state of mind as not to be responsible for her acts, and if they should feel that this was made out, they would have the satisfaction of acquitting her of the dreadful crime alleged against her. Miss Georgiana Armstrong said—l was on a visit on the 24 February in Onsiow•terrace, Newington, at the residence of the prisoner and her husband. The de ceased child was about seven weeks old. I was down• stairs in the kitchen when my sister called me, and I went to an upstairs room, where I found her with the priso ner. My sister asked what bad become of the child, and in consequence of what she said , I went to the prisoner's bedrooM, but could not find the child there. I went back to the room where the prisoner was and said that I could cot fine] the child, and she then said in a pan in the bedroom. I went back to the bedroom and found 'he child in a pan of water, quite dead. I had observed that the pi issuer was in a most excited and almost fran tic state on this day, and she had been in that♦ state al most from the time of her delivery. The deceased was her first child. The prisoner had made two attempts to destroy herself. Mr. W. Wood, asurgeon, said—l have attended upon the prisoner for several months. She bad what medical men term a fair confinement, and went on very well for several days, and I ceased my attendance. On the 2d of January I was sent for again, and found the prisoner Buff eine from nervous fever. She got gradually better, and I again ceased .my attendance. I was sent for shortly after. and found her again suffering from nervous fever, and her mind was evidently affected, and I di rected that she Should not he left alone. By Nits Ballantine—l have no doubt she committed the act while in a state of de'irium and insanity. Mr. 'Justice Erie here interposed, and expressed his opinion that upon this •evidence and the other facts of the case it was unnecessary to proceed further with the ineuiry. - The jury said they were quite satisfied, and returned a verd ct of not guilty, on the ground of insanity. Mr. jastice Erie said, that although the verdict roust be entered in this form, according to the statute, yet as it was evidently a case where the insanity was on'y tem porary, and arose from bodily ailment, the prisoner might h , restored to her friends, and he should give all the assistance in his power, by making a representation in the proper quarter, that this course should be adopted. Mr. Ballantine said he could have shown that the de votion of the prisoner to her child and her husband was sotnething marvelloaQ, and the act she had committed was merely a melancholy instance of the eff: cts of ,:is ease. Under these circutnstances, the husband and friends of the prisoner were exceedingly anxious that she should be restored to them. Mr. Justice Erie said he should have an opportunity of signing an application to the Secretary of State for her immediate release. Hannah, Bramwell, 23, was indicted for the wUfu murder of her female illegitimate child, known by the name of Hannah. Mr. W. Coper prosecuted. The prisoner would have been without any legal as. sistance but for the humane interference of the sheriffs, and through their instrumentality Mr. Sleigh was re tained to defend her. The circumstances of this case were of a most dig• tressing nature. The prisoner, it appeared, had been in respectable service, and was a girl of good character, when she was seduced, and the result was the birth of the infant in question. The c qise quence was that she lost her situation, and, her seducer having abandoned her, she was reducel to a most pitiable state of distress, and at the time of the occur rence she and the child were literally starving and homeless. The child and its mother had for a short time been in St. Luke's workhouse, but the prisoner took the child away on the 12th of February, and she was last seen with it on the 14th, about 6 o'clock in the evening. On the following morning Parsons, one of the men belonging to the Royal Humane Society, discovered the dead body of an infant !looting in the Serpentine, and on its being taken out it proved to be the child of the prisoner. Dr. Christian, a medical gentleman residing at li-Aglitsbridge, said he saw the deal body of the child, and he was of opinion that at the time he raw it it had been dead several hours. It was a very ill-cared for and emaciated child, and was also buffering from a disease of the mesenteric glands. Ile made a post mortem exa mination, but he was unable to arrive at any conclusion as to the cause of death. There was nothing in the stomach but a small quantity of gruel in an un ligested state. In answer to a quastion put by the learned Judge, Dr. Christian stated that nine out of twelve of the most important indications of death by drowning were wanting, and he would not at all take upon himself to say that death in this case was th• result of drowning. By Mr. Sleigh—From the appearance of the child he should say that it was very likely it had died from disease and want of care. Mr. Justice Erie said that, after this evidence, it ap peared to hint thejury would not think themselves justified in convicting the -prisoner. It appeared, at all events, quite as likely that the child's death had arisen from the want and misery it had gone through as from drowning. The jury expressed themselves of the 13%rue opinion, and at once returned a verdict of not guilty. Joseph. Taylor surrendered to ,take. his trial upon a charge of naisdemeanour. Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Poland were counsel for the prosecution ; the defence was conducted by Mr. Parry. The charge was preferred under the Merchant Sea men's Act, and the offence imputed to the defendant was that, being employed en board a screw steamer called the Marley Hill, the property of the General Iron Screw Collier Company, be had wilfully opened part of the machinery called the "sea cock," and thereby en daugered the safety of the vessel. The case for the pro secution was that no person but the,defendant could have interfered with the cock in question, and it was alleged that he had been heard to make use of some threats towards the chief engineer. • Mr. Parry made an able address to the jury on behalf of the defendant, and contended that the evidence was far too inconclusive and unsatisfactory to justify them ' in finding him guilty of so serious an offence. He Temarked upon the improbability of the defendant leav ing all he pdeossed Oh bcierd the *dui ; ho eoLitoui. THE SUN S LONDON, FRIDAY EVENIN 6, MARCH 7, 1856. taken into consideration on the 10th of April ; and that to-morrow he would move that on that day the orders of the day should take precedence of notices of motion.— Agreed to. • OXFORD COMMISSIONERS REGULATIONS. Mr. II EYWOOD moved an address to her Majesty, praying that She will be pleased to withheld her approba tion from the regulations and ordinances recently sanc tioned by the Oxford Commissioners for the amendment of the Statutes of Exeter, Lincoln, and Corpus Christi Col leges, in the University of Oxford, such regulations and ordinances beinc , in many points inconsistent with th e spirit of the Oxford' University Act of 1. M. Sir J. PAKINGTO N . complained of the omission in the new statutes of any reference to aground preference, which had hitherto prevailed in nearly all the Colleges of Oxford, in elections to schelatships and fellowships—namely, the pectud;iry position and means of the candidate. With the view of calling the attention of the Government to the sub ject, and of putting his sentiments upon record, he moved an amendment of the motion. Sir G. GREY said that, doubts having arisen with re gard to these statutes, the Government had decided to advise the Crown to refer them to the Privy Council, assisted by the Attorney and Solicitor-General, as assessors. After a short discussion, the motion and the amendment were both withdrawn. RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC. Mr. BLACKBURN obtained leave to bring in a bill to extend the provisions of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854. JUDGMENT EXECUTION, &c., BILL. The second reading of this bill was postponed till after Easter. OUT-PENSIONERS' (GREENWICH AND CHELSEA, BILL. This bill passed through committee. CONSOLIDATED FUND (226,000,000) BILL. This bill passed through committee. The house adjourned at 20 minutes past one o'clock. PAIRS ON SIR W. CLAY'S MOTION. ' FOR. AGAINST. Mr. Bass Mr. Knight Lord Shelburne Mr. Baldock Mr. 'Wickham Sir, M. Stewart Mr. Marshall Sir G. Berkeley Mr. C. Howard Colonel Buck Mr. P. Price Mr. Wood,' Mr. Holland Sir J. Duckworth Mr. P.. O'Brien Mr. Bentinck Sir T. O'Brien Mr. Maunsell Sergeant O'Brien Mr. Napier Sir J. Matheson Lord Bective Sir J. Owen - Sir R. G. Booth Mr. J. O'Connell Mr. Alexander Mr. Esmond Sir W. Verner Mr. Portman Lord Galway Mr. Danby Seymour Sir J. Trollop° Sir G. Dashwoocl Sir C. Burrell Mr. C. Cavendish Mr. Lockhart Mr. Walter • Mr. Scott Mr. Rich Mr. Frewen Sir M. Berkeley Lord Blaudford Mr. Traill Mr. Franklyn Mr. Lindsay Mr. Masterman L , rd Grosvenor Lord Emlyn Mr. Collier Mr. Hanbury Mr. Cobbett Lieut.-Colonel Vyso Mr. T. A. Mitchell and Mr. S. Fitzgerald were accidentally shut out from voting on Sir W. Clay's motion for the second reading of the Church-rate Abolition Bill. Colonel K. Tynte has paired with Mr. G. Moore till after Easter from Friday last. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.--March 6, OLD COURT. plated such au ac., and ho also urged the probability that alter all the affair was the result of accident. Mr. Ju3tica Wightman havin,,cr summed up, The Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a ver dict of not guilty. • NEW COURT. (Before the Pek.lor(ler.) John Jones. 55, seaman, John Williams, 29, labourer, and Richard TVilson, 29, clerk, were indicted for break ing and entering the dwelling-hous e of Jehn Faulkner, and stealing therAn an iron box, &nue plate, and other articles valued at 201. Mr. Metcalfe prosecuted ; n d Mr. W. J. P4ne, Mr. M'lntire, and Mr, Biogtialu Daley severally defended the prisoners. It appeared thatabout 11 o'clock last Christmas morn ing two of the prisoners were seen to come out of the house of the prosecutor, a gentleman living in Cornwall place, Holloway, bring with them a box, which they put into a dogcart at the door, minded by the third prisoner, and then drove off. The open way in which the robbery was committed disarmed the suspicion of. several per sons who saw the prisoners go in and come out of the house, but still the circumstance impreised itself upon their minds enough to make them take particular notice of their persons. Upon the return of the prosecutor he found that his house had been entered by means of a skeleton-key. Nothing► was heard of the prisoners until Wilson and Jones were taken into custody for being, without lawful excuse, in the garden of a house at Ball' , - pond. Upon this they were detained, and the police, to whom the prisoners were all known as asso ciates, proved that on Christmas morning they saw all three prisoners leave the vicinity of Horsemonger- lane Gaol in a cart, which was brought out of the yard of a livery stable keeper near there. The cart, and horse by which ib was drawn, exactly answered the description given of the one the prisoners were seen to leave the prosecutor's house in. The jury found them guilty, and another indictment against Wilson and Williams for a robbery of a similar character was tried, atd upon which they were again convicted. In answer to the Court, Sergeant Whitcher, the detective officer, stated that in 1839 Jones, who went by a variety of aliases, was transported for 15 years. A few years after that he was tried at Liverpool for returning from transportation, being found at large in that town. He was then transported for life. In 1852 he was apprehended in the Thackfriars'-road, and tried at this court, when he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and again to be transported for life. Again he came to this country, and was one of the persons charged with the Leigh. ton Buzzard robbery. He had escaped from Nor folk I-land and Hobart Town. He had also written a book upon the horrors of transportation. Other officers proved that Wilson, when lying under sentence of six years' penal servitude, passed in January, 1854, had broken out of Horsemonger-lane Gaol. Wil liams had undergone two years' imprisonment for break ing into a house at Lambeth, when his capture was effected by Mr. Flexrnore, the well-known pantomimist. They were each sentenced to 15 years' transpor tation. (Before the Common-Sergeant.) John Curran, 46, saddler, a very respectable-looking man, Rebecca Curran, 41, his wife, who also was of very respectable appearance, and Daniel Smith, a boy about 11 years of age, were indicted, the boy for obtaining a quantity of flour and meal by false pretences, and the other two prisoners with receiving the same, knowing that it had been obtained by fraud. Mr. Ryland prosecuted, and Mr. Rihton defended. The case was a somewhat singular one. The male prisoner Curran has been for many years one of the sad dlers at Woolwich Arsenal, and in constant employ ment, while his wife kept a lodging.house in the town. The !little boy was the child of a neighbour, and had been in the service of a Mr. William Cocking, a baker, in Woolwich, but had quitted his. service about four months ago. Mr. Cocking was in the habit of dealing with a person named Woolf; a corn chandler, in Artil lery-place, Woolwich. The boy Smith when in Mr. Cock ing's service used to be cent to Mr. Woolf's for goods which were booked to his master's account. After he had left he continued to go to the shop and get flour and other things, upon the pretence that they were for his master, and they were entered to his account. Up to the let of February Smith had so obtained flour to the value of 11/. Upon that day he went and asked for ss. worth of halfpence for his master Ix chaTige. The prosecutor told him that he had not got any halfpence, and he said that threepenny and fonrpenny pieces would do, and obfained 3s. worth, which he said Mr. Cocking would call and pay for ; but he not doing so, some in quiries were made, and the fraud was found out. From what subsequently transpired it turned out that the female priSoner had got hold of the boy, and urged him to get the flour, which she bad sold to her neighbours ; and, upon her house being searched, about 1501 b. of flour and a quantity of biscuit, meal, and 'other things were found. The male prisoner was, it appeared, much away from home. The boy pleaded "Guilty." The jury convicted the Woman, and acquitted the man. The Common-Sergeant sentenced her to 18 months, imprisonment, andpostpomtd judgment upon the child. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—March, 6. GUILDITALL.—fIenry Lahtbert, a clerk in the em ploy of Mr. 'Greendeld, a stockjAher, of Throgmorton street, was charged with defrauding his master to a large amount. The prisoner is a young man of about 18 years of age, awl very dissipated appearance, and attewled this court on Saturday last to prosecute a woman of notorious character for robbing him of his purse, containing about 4/. On that occasion the woman was committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court, and the prisoner, who then swore his name was Henry Dobson, was bound over to prosecute. After evidence had been given in support of the charge, Alderman Challis said there appeared to be only two cases out of a number of very serious frauds, and he should therefore remand the prisoner for a week, in order that the case might be completed for trial, for it was evi- dent that the prisoner bad been carrying on this practice to a considerable extent. BOW-STREET.-4 man of about 50 years of age, named William, Thompson, was brought up on remand, charged .with uttering two forged notes. He was given in custody on Wednesday of last week, by Mr. Hunt, manager of Messrs. Moses and Son's branch establishment, in Hart-street, Bloomsbury, for tendering, in payment for some clothes he had purchased, a document purporting to be a Bank of England 51. note, which on examination was found to be a forgery. Who: brought to this court he stated that he was a brickmaker in a good business at Biggleswade, Bedford shire, and offered references to his neighbours, and to persons by whom he had been employed for years hefore commencing business. He said he had received the note from a boy, his nephew, who had picked it up in the street at Bedford. He was remanded for further inquiry, and it was then ascertained that his account of his occupation and antecedents was strictly correct, and that he' bore an excellent character. But, on the etuer hand, a shopman in the establishment of Arr. Pee .e, tailor, High Holborn, attended to prove that, two days before his apprehension, the prisoner had nassed at that establishment what was supposed to be a Bank of Eng land note for 51., and was only found to be a forgery the following day. The prisoner's friends had secured the attendance of his little nephew, who stated that on Sunday week be found a Si. note in Potter-street, Bedford, and took it home to his uncle. On saying that he found one such " piece of paper," the prisoner interrupted. him by ex claiming " both of them ;" but the buy, who appeared not to understand him, went on in the singular to tLe end of the story. The prisoner was committed on both charges. A great portion ~f the time of the Court was again taken up with charges againtit reputed thieves and suspected persons—mostly boys—for picking pockets in the crowds assembled in the streets immediately adjoining the ruins of Covent-garden Theatre ; and Win. Williamson and Win. Robertson, two young men, were fined each U. for being drunk and disorderly on the previous • evening, in Bow-street, nearly. opposite what was the grand entrance. A gentleman from the office of Mr. Reeves, the Go vernment Surveyor, applied, on the part of the Com missioners of Police, for an order to take down certain portions of the walls of 'Covent-garden Theatre, which which were in a dangerous condition. It was proposed t 3 lower the northern wall abutting on Hart.street, and the southern wall (which appeared to threaten the police court), and entirely to remove them, if necessary. The required order was at once granted. WORSEUP-STREET.—Mary Anne Hopkins, Jane Thompson, and Mary Anne M`Donald, three showily dressed young women, were charged before Mr. Ham mill with the following robbery : Larter, one of .-the officers attached to the Bishops hate terminus-of the E as t ern C ount i es R a il way, state d that' on the arrival of the train from Colchester between twelve and one o'clock that day, his attention was par ticularly attraoted to the conduct of the prisoners, who were loitering about the platform as though waiting for friends, but every now and then pressed in such an evi dently intentional manner against some of the lady pas sengers as to leave very little doubt as to their object. This course they pursued for some time, when Hopkins quietly walked up to a lady who was engaged in sorting out her luggage. at the barrier, took something out of the pocket in the side of her dress, passed it to Thomp son, who stood nest to her, and Thompson as rapidly I yapsferred it to a well-dressed man who was, standing alone behind both, and manifestly screening their opera tions. The four then moved away, and the witness has tened up to the lady and asked her if she bad lost any thing, as he suspected she had been robbed. The lady felt in her pocket, and at once said her purse had been stolen, on which he called to another constable and se cured the three women, but their male confederate bad contrived to get out unobserved. The women were taken to the station-house and searched, when, in addition to a qte,ntity of loose money being found upon each, two photographic portraits were discovered upon one of them, and one of these portraits bore so striking a resemblance to the man he had seen with them as to leave no doubt of its being his likeness ; he had scarcely obtained pos ses.‘k n of it, however, than the woman snatched it out of his band, and dashed it to the ground with such force as to shatter it into fragments. Alderman, the gaoler, accounted for the frequent pos 'session of these photographic portraits by pickpockets and other thieves by stating that a great number of the swell snob and. their confederates had now so systema tined their plans of operations thst tloy wero is tibe con ! s Rant habit of providmg themselves with these portraits of theif ace , ooplices to present mistake, so that when a robbery had been effected they might unfailingly transfer the stolen property to the confederate " working" wit h them, however disguised be or she might be. Miss Din. Dempsey, a lady residi,,g at Brentwood , and the proeccutrix in the case, deposed to being a first class passenger by the train in question, but declared the robbery had been so cleverly effected that she had not the slightest idea her purse ha'i been stolen until she was accosted by the officer and asked o examine her packets. Carter, in answer to a qu,oion of the magi,trate as to whether any of the prig ,ere rec,goised, said' that he had known the prishmer Thcmpson for the last two years ; sh, was the c an.: associate of well-dreoe d thi,ve4, and he had little d.‘ubt, it an opportunity war e offered him, that he should be able to substantiate Other char,:es a ,, ainst her. Nei her pr s , ,ner offered any defence, and they war e all therefore remanded till that day week, SOUTHWARK.—A powerful-looking young &BO named Thomas Connor was clmrged with the following robbery of watches and chains : Mr. Nicholas Straub sod be was a watchmaker, an g , carried on business w ith hi s b rot h er. B etween a i nes a4 ten o'clock on the previous night he was sitting in his parlour at the rear of the shop, when h• was alarmed by hearing a loud crash of broken glass in the shop. immediately rushed in there, and saw the priFenerf hands inside th e w i n d ow w hi c h was b roken, grasping at all the gold ch a i ns an d go ld watches within his reaol He had at least 20 go ld wa t c h es, worth 1501., an d 20 gold chains, worth 1001., which he pulled out from 0 1 window. Witness instantly ran out of the shop, and caught bold of the p r i soner as h e was runn i ng away W ith; the property. He dropped some of the watches an" chains on the pavement, and others be threw into the road. A tradesman came up to his assistance, aad they secured the prisoner until a constable came UPS when he gave him into custody. All the property was picked up and restored to him, except four gold watabeot worth 10/ , which had not been found. The damag e done to the watches picked up was considerable. The prisoner said that he belonged to Hull, and, being out of work since Christmas, he came up to London to seak something to do. He was disappointed, and Tell' tiered desperate from starvation. He did break the window and steal the property, and he would do so Wil l if he was starving. Mr. .A'Beckettold him, from the daring manner rD which he had committed the robbery, he suspected OA this was not his first offence. He should therefore cool' mit him for trial at the next assizes ; and he hoped the police would in the meantime make particular inquiriel about him. Country Markets. DERBY SMITHFIELD. -MARCH 4. ------ There was a good supply of fat beasts to-day, the grist"! part from the north of England ; the demand was but gat and some few were left unsold. The nun.ber of sheep 'Nt h not large, but quite sufficient to meet the wants of tee buyers. A large supply of porker pigs. Calves scarce s° dear. The following were the quotations :—Besf, 6cir to mutton, did to 7d ; lamb, Od to Od ; real, 7d tc 41 Pe' lb. ; pigs, 9s 6d to 108 3d per score • rough fat, 5s Ou to per 141 b. ; hides, 30 to 44d per lb% ttalf-skins, 3td per lb. EDINBURGH GRAIN.—MARCII 5. A large market to-day. Wheat dull, and considerabll clown in price. Barley and oats quick, and up. 800 flat. Wheat, on the top, 2s up, and on the average 35 1 041 down. Barley, on the top, 6,1 up—and on the average' 10d up. Oats on the top 2s up—on the average, 2s Beans on the top 2s up—the average, 8d down. AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat £3 7 3 4-12ths. Do. new -12ths• Barley Oats Beans -12ths. BOSTON—AIARcu 5. The little business done in the wheat trade was at s d d. cline of fully 4s per qr. on the best samples ; inferior VP lities could hardly be disposed of on any terms. Barley as before. Oats, beans, and peas were is to 2s cheap•! than on this day se'nnight. Prices :—Wheat, rod, 483 Od to 641 Od; white, 643 Od 66i Od extra, 683 Od. Barley, 32. Od to 36s Od. Oats 173 to 255. Beans, 368 Od to 443 Od. Peas, 35 to 38s Od' per qr. NEWARK-MARCH 5. There was s foil attendance of farmers. Little done iD wheat, at a decline of 4s per qr. Other grain as before. Wheat, white 72s to 765, red 631 to 71s; barley, 3Ss to 41s, grinding 33s to 35*; oats, 24st. 31s to 375, 2 2 : 28s to 30 3 ; beans, 45s to 48s ; malt, 72 8 t o 768; mit 4 `" to 445; tares, 64s to 68s per qr. SBA BORNS MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are sen t from th e g eneral root 0010 ay the night—and M by the morning —despatch.) Daywhen made. up I r ma en , pr,... . COUNTRIES. In General Post- Port due 12 ()Mee, London.* Diwt c h, Engiase• America(byßrit.pack)N Kvery Friday •• .• Liverpool . •Mar. 14 America (by United Sta. I packet) N •••• -• • - Liv er p ool Feb. 27 America (by U. States i packet) N Australia (via South- "•• • • • SOutharailt, Mar. 21 ampton) M ,••••• ••• • • • • Southampton Ditto (via Marseilles) N •• • ••• • • • • • • Dover .... Ditto (via Cape of Good, Hope) NI ....... .... ' 11Incertal Africa (West Coast) N 1 13 , 1 of the month .Plymouth ... 'Mar. 6 Alexandria.. _ Nl3, 9, :4, At 30 of tn.lDovor .... Al exan d r i a .......... m .4th & 90th of mon.!southa m pt on Bahamas ...........M 17th of the monti ISouthaniptor. Belgium N pailY • • •• • • • • • • • • !Dover ..... Dillßrazil y ..............I 9th of the moiith.•Southamptoi• Mar. 16 tos, Mar. 1 6 . Buenos Ayres ........M 9th of the month ..i SouthAmp Cape of Good Hope N ilrarloU3 pore Uncertain Cape of Good Hope .. N Cape do Verde .....„Ni 9th of the month *.outtumptoi Feb. 2 4 • Cleylon (see In la) Ceylon ............ N! Channel isles.. ... . —NMon. , Wed. , &Frid. , Southampr.-, Ta.Tb.F. • ' Chi 11................ 141'2,i & 17th of moat' Ronthimpt, China .... .. . Once a month..., Mar. 4 , • Constantinople .... .. N 8,13,18,23 0 %24 o• . jDover .... Twice daily , . . Constantinople .... _l4th & 20th. of to' - . ',Souttutztpt, Cont. of Euroi.e M /In N 'Dover —. : Tivioo6 lll Egypt (see India) 1 Franco ........ M & NT ,wla , daily.. , - Dover _ Tarioodur, Gibraltar —— .... M'4, 7.17.20.27 .f', South Imo Greece (see India) Gre ,, town - .......... td,2rid & 17th of mon i south , :ar pr. , - Eitmhurgh ...... _ ~.I.7Tueorday & frtid".' 'London . Savannah .......... mi2nd of the en. , nl , 'Sou champ!. • Mar.. • . Holland ............ MIDaIIY •• • ..... .. l)over .. „ °idly Honduras ...... —— M i 17 t , tithe mom hdfiouthampto, \ ir;thofre" india (viaSouthampt.)m;itti ' 20th of ~..,,,, .IPlynr , uth .. 4 & 20 17 India (via Marsoilles)M 9th& 26th of m on 7, , Dover .. .. . lonian isles (see India) 7 w 7, & 'a 01 ,r,,,,; Dnver...... Ireland ........M &N, rwici , daily ..• .. liolj he td TW16•411 11 " Lisbon .............. Ml 7. l l • '. 7 , & 27 of ,• .;Southarnnto.. Feb. 26 lt f , r. - 1 Madeira ...... •..... rd i -‘• "h. S'iit• i ,Southampt.o., Madeira ........ _ , N23d 0 , month •• . liverpool ... Malta (see India) I Malta ............ •• 3,1* * c 2 $ 'il atone Dover ~. .. 4 & Suit , Mauritius (see India • • Mauritius ........ N 11:• , • •.1' rri. ~,, Mexico ...•• .• •••• •• M 21 ' 1 fl'• clw Soathamot-n Feb. 26 Naples ... N 7 sthlAth2sthofmc , • Dover ...... Yew Granada .. .. .. • 21 & 17th of monl . /3otithampto , , New Zealand . 8/ Drr.at, -3 , I Various port Unaartsbil ''"' ' ' • %ti i••• h:2' h f j Papal State'. . . : .'• ' , 3 1 0 i' , . ,, Dover .... i'eninsula .. . . ... - ! 711117 th27thormr. f -tr i,..:..nr),,,n ?ern ....., ~, ~ ~ ~,-, ii . 4. 2711, 51 Mot' i ;oitthEtv.,,,t, r Port Natal .... , . . N •13' private ship.. 'Various port, Vittildillu icily ~...... . • ... .I, sth I sth2sthoirn -.., . Dover ...o Tiscany sthlso2sthetino, !lov e r ... _ • ..... .. ~,,, vonezuoi , ...... , , .. 1 . 4 2d& 17th of wont. Nouthamptor. I &16 alc6 van Diemen's Lan fi t... 7. .. Australia) ... we r• f,loll, .., . • VI:: 17th o' qv," SOntbauipteri II 8;16 002 • s SHARE AfA RKETS. LIVERPOOL, MAR= 6. STOCK EXCHANGE. —The tone of the market has oefu quiet to-day, and the prices generally without alteration. Lancashire and Yorkshire, VI i—Midlands, 70i—Eas t Lancashire, 18—Caledonia~, 29—Great Westerns, 611—' Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 25—Dutch Rhenish, lls. 13s. 9d. 'p.—South Eastern, 203—Ulster, Great Western of Canada, 253—Ditto, now, shares, 3i Pe MANCHESTER, him= 6. STOCK EXORANGE.—The market has been dull to-as'', but prices are rather easier. Midlands, 701 70—Leedt 831—London and North Western, 100—Dovers, 201 9.1 , great Western of Canada, 251. BIRMINGIUM, MARca 6. ECM EXCHANGX.—The toke of the market was lirra is-day. Great Western Birmingham Guaranteed Stock was done at 71i—Old Birmingham Canals were done la 82—Shropshire Unions, 47k. BOSTON ELECTION.—The nomination of the mai' dates took place at noon yesterday, when W. H. Adams, Esq., was proposed by Mr. F. J. White, seconded 11 Mr. J. Wren ; and Herbert Ingram, Esq., was pro p sed by Mr. Taxford, and secoaded by Mr. Thomas. The show of haads was largely in favour of Mr. In gram, when a poll was demanded in behalf of Dttr Adams. The pulling t,ok place to-day. BIRTHS. OF ♦ BON. On the 4th inst., at 2, Sussex•place, the Countess 44 Lalaing. O❑ the sth inst., at Edinbargb, the wife of Job" Guthrie, Eng., of Guthrie. of A I/Allan/88. On the 6th inst., at 16, Wimpole-street, Cavendish• square, the wife of Henry Thompson, Esq., F.R.C.S. On the sth inst., at 150, Piccadilly, Mrs. Marsh Nelson• MAR itIED. On the 6th inst., at St. James'aChureh, Sussexigardens, Hyde-park, John James Horsley, Esq , of Curzon-park, Chester, to Jane Matilda, widow of the late Frederick Woodward, Esq., of Bath. DIED, On the sth inst., at 12, Elm-place, Brompton, Charles Robert Sparrow, Esq , late of Walthernstow ' aged 74. On the sth in s t., a t L ew i s h am, Kent, Bartholomew Chwady, Esq., aged 70. On the 4th inst., at Bond street, Pentonville, Mr. John Peacock Ingoldby, for ten years buyer in the hours of Messrs. Bradbury, Groatorez, and Co., of AldertuanburY , aged 38. On the 3d inst., John Knox, Esq., of Greenwich, Kinto aged 69. — On the 4th inst., at 23, Avenue-road, Regent's•pArk► James Henry Savage, Esq., aged 47. LONDON: Printed and Published by MURDO YO UN (ir of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tkt Sun 0 030 . K" 112 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the multi 14441tIsis Frillsyt WA* 7 1 UK* TF9 _ 8 "Victori7 Capital 11 the 1191 d Joseph n rector Lewis Cut Georg a B( CaPtai i J: the Orii Charier E of Vie 1 Paa.y. Jon Geoi of «he I Robert H. Benjamin ata Lai B, MAXAGER / MeL. I •, Pally. ' Compan CONsuprlsc ,Enginee The e et rom. Euro' =Paled in s' tbe e outpleto r l ubjeets is *lapse b'efo 4 ges of Et The proj time under 44 Constant ,deprived o: the comfor `..mif the car quireznents ~I}l.l_knolrtl t P rECE o. Lord H th; Ireland, tl7,,,Deranils . KYard at ' .- .°45 of S r 6 0, of W 11,011r4 Elem I nd , :1 I 44, gdleyr s E