The Sun. — London, England, 1847-04-13 00:00:00

National and Lancastrian schools which I visited, only pro fess to tech the children reading, writing, andarith hi m st e o arithmetic. The knowledge of the English language, natural geography, physiology, and the history otheir country, are all excluded subjects. Upon none of those could I examine the ehildren generally, because their teachers professed the tote )ignorance of the c hildren respecting them. If occa sionally I heard that Liverpool was an island, that Lanca shire was one of the great towns of England, and that A s i a and Americachieett t countries of Europe, I was l e d t o expect this if I w he e ard such grammatical inaccuracies as thos e con t a ined in the following answers to questions put by me:— Them as is good goes to heaven The men as w as ' up into heaven'—' He drownded the whole wor ld ;' th g9 eS zi e ng were - mistakes which the teacher did not undertake to correct." In these schools the scholars were poor and they found that they went to them ignorant and from the want of a proper system of training, that their evil dispositions were developed by association, and that they were frequently led into the commission of crime, as the little knowledge they were taught, was just sufficient Ly association to induce them to commit depredations. It would be almost superfluous in him in that Court to refer to the evils which arose from a want of education, but his Lordship and the gentlemen of the Court of Aldermen who had held the office of sheriff; had, in that capacity, and as magistrates, been in the habit of visiting the crimi nals of the metropolis, and had no doubt went hand h in ignorance and wretchedness and crime I' hand. The jud ges re f erre d to it; N e lr. Sergeant Adams came forward with his monthly and 1 a t ab rep i try t o remedyt. lair eating the amount of juvenile crime, and his the evil. Thi s belonged more properly to the question education ; but still of juvenile crime than a it was necessary that h e should refer to ignorance and crimp, as t they formed a part of his resolution. valuable report of the British Foreign School Sole: . In the ; o r 1845, he found that one-third of the criminals ()f e 13 rkehire could not read, that Cam bridge and connecte d with . a _ o (a rd nd ), one half could not read ; i n _ Denbigh two-thirds were in a similar condition, and that of Essex (one of the Council was the half of those with Essex) , were totally ignorant.. In connected Hereford, out of 385, cn y one could read well, and in Sussex (one of those delicious sequestered agricultural districts), out of 877, 141 did not know their S av i our ' s - n - a - me , 498 knew it and no more, and then only in con nexion with an oath; 179 had only a confused notion of his history, and only 1 in 14, or 59, had the faintest glimmer of the Christian faith. They had tried punishments of various kinds, in order to deter persons from the commission of crime, but they had signally failed, and he hoped thet they would now take more religious means, by the aid of education, to improve the condition of tL ose unhappy persons. As a proof of how much more expensive the punishment of crime was than its prevention, he might refer to the fact lately state! by the magistrates of Liverpool, that they selected at random 14 criminals, whose ages varied from 9 to 14, whose ag gregate commitments amounted to 133 times, or 91- times each, and who had cost the country 8891. ls.-8891. for punishing 14 criminals, or between 701. and 80/. each, whereas by a properly organised system of education, the common interest of the money would have educated 30 or 40 children.—(Loud cheers.) This money was spent in punishing, not in reclaiming, because they had each been repeatedly punished. When the question arose, would education deter from crime?—(hear, hear.) Was education the cause of crime, or was its want the cause? The argument that men of education had be come criminals was no reason against the education of the people. He granted that such things had happened, but.still that did net prove that it was not the duty of every man—the duty of the nation—to gi , ,e every man the means of advancing himself in the world. Because a mu was born poor was that any reason why he should not rise in the social scale, that he should not Lave the means of elevating himself ? He contended that the most im portant means to thet end was education. But how seas this to be done ? We see the necessity, but we are over. come by the difficulties which surround it. Could they overcome it by voluntary eeetributione which some people ' considered the great panacea fur the i gnorance o; the the people? Two opinions prevailed —one that it was sufficient, and the other that it was not. But if Volun taryism was sufficient, how was it that one-third of the popul oion were in Cimmerian darkne-s. Certainly if it was sufficient they must have sadly neglected their duty. Voluntaryism was a beautiful system, but what did it du ? It certainly contributed largely in various ways; but the voluntaryism of the State was far more impor tant; for aid by the State was but another form of contributing money from the same source. Voluntaryism did not punish criminals, it did not fight their battles, it did not provide for the poor. When it did all these things, then he should consider that volun taryism would be enabled to educate the people.—(C neers.) There were probably many gentlemen in that Court, who had not had any large sums of money expended upon their education.---(Hear.) Yet there were many who was without education, so far as the school master was concerned, listening and taking a part in the discussion of this great question. Thus several who had been thus situated had become representatives of the City of London ; but had theyre mained totally ignorant, they would not have been called to fill so honourable a post. Was there a man there who could not read and write ?—(Yes.) Some gentle man said yes, but, he never had the misfortune to meet with one who was so igeorant. Should any such be prasent now, their support I am sure to have ; and should there he those (as I know there are) who have only received the merest rudiments of education, yet by unremitting zeal and rectitude have become members of this court—their support I confidently exp-ct, because wine can feel so keenly, or know so truly, nar describe se forcibly, the sleepless nights, the perplexities, the struggles of uneducated intellect striving under every disadvantage to assert its power, and the difficulty in seizing the opportunity calculated to lift him to a superior station in society, all of which a little more judicious training would have ren dered comparatively easy. lie could not under stand any means that could be brought to promote edu cation efficiently without the assistance of the State. Could the State educate, was one question, and how edu cate was the next. He could prove that the State could educate. Even despotic nations had shown that they could educate their people ; but a free country possessed an additional advantage, as it could educate and consolidate its power. Ic Germany and Prussia education was compulsory. In America it was not so ; but it was made very attractive. In America it was stated as a general rule, that in the those States, in which education was promoted by the Govern ment, that the most was done by the people ; and that " wherever the Government extended education that the people were found anxious to avail themselves of it; where there now is little or no legislative effort the amount of instruction is as small as was compatible with any degree of diffusion of know ledge." That fact showed more forcibly that the aid of the Government was required than anything he could urge if he were to speak for a month. Those states which did not receive much aid were exceedingly ignorant. In New York education was progressing favourably, as one-fourth of the population was receiving instruction. The following was the state of education in the various states:— " New York - - 1 pupil to 3.9 inhabitants. Massachussets, Maine, Con necticut 1 to 4 New England - -I— to 5 Pennsylvania, New Jers e y -1— to 8 Illinois - to 13 Kentucky - - - - 1 to 21 For a man to have a child growing up without going to school, was considered the greatest scandal that could attach to him. But if all he had stated was done in America, why could it not be done in England?—(Hear, hear.) It was said here that the assistance of the State would do away with the independence of the people. Was it more destructive to independence to look to the State for education, than to feel that we depended upon private bounty or public charity for it ? Many of those who were educated ,in :charitable institutions, found that a kind of stigma attached to them which often lasted to the day of their deaths. He was reproached with it. The State, therefore, was the proper and only means, by whose aid a national system of education could bo carried out, and the State was now desirous to do it.—(Hear.) He regretted that one of the greatest obstacles raised to the scheme was religion. Religious difficulties were the only obstacles ROW placed in the way of the Government.—(Hear.) The Episcopal Church would have no education, unless it was placed upon or supported by religion. The Dissenters would have no State support, and other sects opposed it for similar reasons ; so that between them all the nation would suffer, unless the Government had the determina tion to go filly and fairly into the question, in defiance of such opposition as that with which they were me naced. The flowing tide would be stayed, if not rolled backwards for fifty years. Could it be for the interest of religion that a scheme in which the happiness of the rising gene ration was involved should be destroyed ? it could not be. Perhaps the best system to adopt would be a system of perfectly secular education, making the parents responsible for the religious instruction of their children, not that he was opposed to any system of religious edu cation, but h e was anx i ous t o o btain knowledge for the P!' ) Ple almost on any terms.—(Cheers.) No compul shoes by the State could make a person change his reli gion.wiea I..A•r_reras adhered instance of the tenacity with wu to b7loun,idbered to the religion of their forefathers Ireland. Several 11 ; tre z of i e tt h the last rep o rt on education in were educated i n e w o h tent school, Roman Catholic parents lenient religion; but and in the Pro again to the Roman Cath e t T. maintained the prirciple a Re thought he had enunciated at the commencement of his aadres: c- he to' and that the Government was likely the scheme of —it was the best and most ce P es Po p t v % Thast advantageous have been adopted in his OpiniOn e- u eeslv e that could stances—(Hear, h.,ar)---Itiid consit n te der the ip„ : ' r cata excitement heel been occasioned with respe ct i'tree of thought there had been a considerable e lle crude, hasty, 'unreasonable calumnies, cast de of r: If he had any objection at all to the Government e lm :- was this—that it did no t go f ar enough. But hePeviseheid t to have it tested as p ropose d , and no doubt th e experi ence which would be obtained would enable them to materially improve it. Some sail that it was unconsti tutional, but he was at a loss to know what could be un constitutional in giving the repree=entatives of the people —their representatives—the control of education. Then it was said to be sectarian. How could it be sectarian, when it supported alike every religious belief, and every religious denomination ? If it applied only ee, the Established Church, it might be called sectarian, and it would deserve the same character if it applied to the dissenters alone ; but as it applied to one sect as much as to another, he thought it was about the best scheme that could be adopted. " But it is inquisi torial," said a third party. Why? Wherever public money w as applied to a public p u rp ose, there must be public inspection. Private charities privat e l y ad. mini:tired, were too frequently seats of cot.- • ' ruption; and public money, if privately expended, • might be expended improperly, and diverted to corrupt purposes; but here Government inspection would keep the fountain clear and prevent any mis t appropriation for the future. But another party_ ob jected to it, on the ground of ce ntralisation—centr d ali t s b a - e tion the bane of Europe, the curse of France, an b misery of the civilised world. Centr b a e lis m i g ir t a despot was unquestionably bad, as scautribonthienwieldedattempt to y trill and thoughts Governmentofhis subjectwas c ent ralisation, ; . b ut centr these cchools, inspection would ten . point of fact, in the people themselve d s, t f o o k r e i e n p th ti e m caseof those intrusted with them, and to 7 i f t he y admi nistration of the funds pure _and ju b st o , m andco w m e p r e e l into the a dministration of the funds, they would paid to do their duty. With centra l isation,a buses crept be bad immediately m si o o n k d n o r t e n d at head himself would quarters, be andat once the s b person per. whe ded. To his mind a centrali s at i o n of this kind pos ressed much beauty, and formed one of the most im portant principles in the Government plan. Another great advantage was the the establishment of Normal schools, because by their aid they would be enabled to do away with that obnoxious class to which he had reerred, who, without requisite knowledge, pretend to teach the children of the poor ; and in their place they would have men with young blood in their veins, anxious for the work and determined to perform it thoroughly, and not half. They would get rid of the half stupid, lame, bliud, and frequently immoral old men and Women, who had set themselves up as teachers.—( - fear.) Besides, they would know, if they discharged their duties properly, that their old age would be spent in comfort. Much had been urged against the plan which the Government had proposed for the support of the schoolmasters when they relinquished that employment ; but it was most important that a teacher should know that he would not be allowed to die from starvation when his faculties failed him. Then again, he consi dered that instead of the whole scheme enabling the Government to tyrannise over the people, that it would have a directly contrary effect, and would place a great deal more power in the hands of the people.(Cheers.) The highest class would at the proper time receive their due reward as teachers, whilst the second class pupils would become important public functionaries. Thus, in stead of Government situations being bestowed upon those who had no claim to the gratitude of their country, they would be given to those who had earned a right to hold them. It was, as he had said, a very important matter that the teachers of this country should take their proper position, as he considered the teacher was more entitled to respect than the warrior whose conquests over foreign nations brought great advantages to this country. The profession of the schcolneaster was higher than the minister of religion, because the success of the subse- Tient labour of the minister depended much upon the superstructure raised for him to work upon by the schoolmaster. In every point of view he saw great beauty in this scheme of education proposed by the Government. Another important point was, than an educated people were more easily governed than an igno rant people. With education, one might appeal to a man's senses, to his intellect, and to his moral feelings ; but without e 'ucation one could not appeal to him, save through the influence of mere phi sical power. Corporal punishment would be the way they could teach him to do his duty, But by education one might appeal to his cultivated faculties, and through them, possibly, soften and re etaitn. They should then see none of those extraordi nary proceeding; such as took place some thirty years ago in the Midland Counties, where men associated and went about in mobs to break machinery—those mar vellous instruments by which they were now supported —as they thought it would interfere with their indivi dual labour —instead of now looking upon them as they did, as the most inapOrtant advantages possessed by this country. Within his own experience he knew at the same period, that serving men in England would not go into the ser v i ce o f a man w h o k ept a thrash ing machine, because they said it took away their labour, and the labour of the neighbourhood. At the same time they could not get a man in Scotland to go to a situation where there was not a thrashing machine—the one class of men, he regretted to say, sunk in ignorance, and the other, he was proud to say, having the means of education which he was desirous that every man in Eng land should possess. It was this that gave Scotchmen the power of managing business, whilst the labouring men in England and Ireland were compelled to be slaves, not that they had less power, but because they had less knowledge. A singular proof of this was to be found in last week's Examiner : portion of the money, proposed to be advanced by the Government, would go to the Established Church. It was right that such should be the case. Zeal aid acti vity would secure the largest share. The Government were assailed on all sides by petitions got up again: a plan, in carrying out which they deserved the support of the whole of the community, especially of those who were bound, from all previous experience, to support them, but who now opposed them. Mr. Taylor then described the narrow-minded views entertained by the Church of England in former years, and contrasted them with the liberality of opinion now generally ex pressed by that church, and abandoned by the old ad vocates of toleration, and concluded amidst loud cheers. Mr. STACEY spoke merely in approbation of the scheme of Government, and was delighted to see Mr. Taylor at his old work of labouring for the amelioration of the civil and religious condition of mankind.—(Hear.) Mr. B. S. PHILLIPS, a gentleman of the Church per suasion, rejoiced in advocating the measure of Govern ment, and spoke of the unbounded liberality of those who were at the head of that religion in educating the poor. Mr. W. LAWRENCE said that if the Government had consented to leave the whole in the hands of the dissenters, not one word would have been heard of this opposition. He then commented upon the good ten dency of the measure in Every respect. Dr. LYNCH was agreeably surprised and delighted at seeing so (inc a field day for the support of education, and so little chance for those who opposed it. He con sidered that great praise was due to her Majesty's Mi nisters for propounding so noble a pl in for providing, amidst the unexampled difficulties which surrounded them, the means of a sound moral education for the childr, n of all classes of the community, without respect to creed, sect, or party.—(Hear ' hear.) They pursued the proper course to en s ure the happiness and to elevate the condition of the labouring classes. The long and exaggerated sentences which they heard about interfer ence, tyranny, poison, were mere bugbears, mere poetic hyperboli, calculated only to frighten children.—(flear, and laughter.) The present means of teaching the children of the poor, and even of the middle classes, were most defective. Why should a broken down butcher, or baker, find a refuge in the character of schoolmas ter? Why should the dishonest insolvent be encouraged to turn teacher of children upon the failure of his other experiments, and cheat both parent and child with im punity ? That tremendous evil would be corrected by the inspection, without which it was absurd to attempt to carry out any proper system of education. There was no intention to churchify or to proselytise the ris ing generation. On the contrary, the only effect or de sire was to place them in the road to truth and virtue, and to make them useful members of society, whether Protestants or Roman Catholics.—(Hear.) In Prussia there were three millions of children annually taught by the State. America was still more liberal. In Prussia the commercial classes were taught English, French, German,,mathematics, physics, history. and geography ; and the education of the poorer classes was proportion ably enlightened. The statistics of education submitted to the Court reproved their neglect. In despotic Austria only 34,5001. were' expended in forty millions of popu lation. The Government had taken the first step in the right direction. They would impart to all the elements of education which had at the present time become a necessity, without cramming them with knowledge only calculated to make our poor discontented with their condition in life. Arkwright, Watt, llunter, Faraday, Cuvier, Haydn, Herschel, and a thousand others who had risen from the lower ranks to eminence by perse verance, and who had left by their discoveries in science an imperishable name, and made mankinl their de)tors, were self taught, or had only the rudiments of education. They were only taught to read and to write. Genius accomplished the rest.—(Hear, hear.) He gloried to see Mr. Richard Taylor, in his advanced years, witness the triumph of the principles which that enlightened'', veteran had from the earliest period of his life advo cated.—(Cheers.) Ile gloried, too, to see a Jew rise in the Court of Common Council, as a member of that body, and an instance of the increasing liberality of the cit.zens of London, to deliver sentiments which did honour to the head and to the heart of their new acquisition.—(Cheers.) Mr. WIRE said that all arguments used in favour of the Gov( rament measure were grossly fallacious, and all the statistical details were just as fallacious. He con demned the interference of the State as not only wholly unnecessary, but as calculated to strike a blow at the independence of the people about whose education the Government never threw away a thought until they had educated themselves.—(Hear, hear.) It was the object i,f the Government not to make the people religious, bat to keep them in subjection. Mr. Wire, in comparing the population of other countries with those of England, insisted that this country was more intelligent than any other on the face of the earth. He deprecated the idea of giving to Government functionaries such a super visicn as the inspectors were to have, and of their establishing an indefinite influence and patronage, and he contended that the whole plan was part and parcel of the atrocious system of centralisaticn which was now unfortunately so prevalent. " It is reported on good authority that a fishing-smack, having been successful in catching fish on the South coast, and sending it up the country, the people from the interior came down, seized the vessel, took the nets out of her, and made a bonfire of them, alleging that if she continued to catch fish at such a rate, there would be none for next year. Forethought is not a common Irish habit; they seldom ex tend their views far beyond the present ; and the care for the next years' fish, and choice of present famine rather than trench on it, was the most unlucky and thoroughly Irish commencement of prudence that the mind of man could have conceived." The Court of Common Council met yesterday, and It was pr o babl e th a t w hil s t h e was a dd ress i ng t h e coon - after a lengthened discussion upon the Health of Towns cil, that there were hundreds of thousands rotting in their Bill, gaols who, h a d t h e G overnment i n years past faithfully Mr. BENNOCH then rose and explained that, by a mis done its d u ty, wou ld h ave b een ga i ning an honest liveli- take the Court, and not the "debate," was adj o urned at hood, addin g t o t h e i r com f orts and respectability, and the last meeting of the Council. Under these circum stances, he might go over the ground he had already increasing the w ea l t h o f t h e nat i on. It was indeed a traversed ; but he should not avail himself of that pie lamentable thought, th a t muc h o f t hi s arose from the opposition of those who entertained strong religious feel- vilege, and should merely content himself by moving the legs on the matter. He could not conceive anything resumption of the debate. It was necessary to make more extraordinary. They had all kinds of benevolent this explanation, in order that those who were and religious institutions; they had ministers in all not present at the last meeting might know parts of the globe,—and each of those so- exactly how the matter stood. He trusted, how cieties had his support accor di ng to hi s means— ever, that no gentl eman w h o h a d a dd ressed but to give a tract to a c hild, or a bibl e to a man, with- the Court on the subject wo u ld d o so on thi s occasion— out affording them the means of und ers t an di ng t h em, (Hear, hear ; and oh, oh) —as the adjournment o f t was a gross insult ; it w as as b a d as bi n di ng a man ' s the Court, and not the " debate," was simply a n acci eyes and bidding him behold the glory and beauty of dental circumstance, as the person who proposed it was the universe. —(Hear.) He tru s t e d th a t e d ucat i on favourable to the motion. would be taken a s th e basis of' all endeavour s t o h u - Mr. WHITE seconded the motion, which was put by manise and Christianise the whole country, and that the Recorder, and carried. every Englishm an wou ld f eel that it was a part of his Mr. DE JERSEY rose to oppos e the moti on . H e sa id birthright to be e d ucate d . I t was a melancholy thing during the time he had held a seat in that Court, he h a d to think that religious diff.Tences should fetter thought ; opposed many of the sentiments enunciated by M r . Wire; but he confessed he agreed with him in his views but he confidently t ruste d t h at t h at Court would unani mously declare it s o pi n i on t h at no c hild w i th i n these realms with respect to the scheme of e d u cati o n, w hi c h th e vGo should be with ou t men t a l en li g h tenment as a means to vernment had proposed. It had been said with re s pe c t to many corporate bodies, that they i n t er f e red with mat moral and physical imp rovemen t. Th a t was t h e fi rst motion he had submitt e d t o th e C ou rt, an d p er h aps h e tars with which they w e re not ca ll e d u p on t o t rou bl e them might not have discharged his task so well as ot h ers selves, whil s t th e y neg l ecte d th e i r own a ff a i rs — t h ey more experienc-d would have done.—(Hear, h ear .) mixed themselves up in p o liti ca l ma tt ers , an d He had only to a dd hi s gra tit u d e f or th e pati e nc e . an d became as a matter of cours e p o liti ca l hi nges . H e , kindness with which they had li s tened to him. H e therefore, thought the C or p orat i on h a d s t eppe d out concluded by proposing the first clause of his moti on , of its way in this discus s i on . li e f u ll y a d m i tte d and leaving the rema i n d er o f it t o h e d e alt w ith as th e the necessity of educatio n; b u t scarce l y two men council might think fit ; and resumed his seat amidstcould be found to agree as to the be s t mode of carrying general cheering. ,it out. If the Hon. Gentleman who m ove d th e a d op - Mr. T. WHITE sec on d e d th e mo ti on . I gnorance was , tion of the resolution, wished to kno w w h a t t h e Cor in his belief, the most f er til e source o f cr i me . Th e poration had done for education, he mi g ht fi n d i t i n awful history of p r i sons prove d that i n di sputa bl y , or their deeds—as they had voted large sums, y ear a f ter 252,000 persons wh o were cenam i tted to pr i son i n the year, for the promotion of ed uca ti on , an d not exc l u di ng space of ten y ears , 22 9,000 were uninstructed, 1,085 had Roman Catholics and Dissent ers f rom a p art i c i pat i on i n gone beyond the e l ementary d egree, an d 22,000 could the funds. That man who wish e d t o d o away w i t h t h e merely read and wr i te . I t was said that such a fact local management of sc h oo l s was no f r i en d to c i v il and religious liberty. The r e so l u ti on , w hi c h was avowe dl y showed the ignor ance o f t h e vicious. He contended that it proved th e v i c i ousness of ignorance. The backward- in favour of the Govern me nt pl an , as k e d th em to come nese of England i n e d ucat i ng to a decisi o n " th a t e d ucat i on i n G reat B r i ta i n an d Ire grace to the cou n t r y, an d h e h a il e d t h e G overnment land was lamentably deficient ;" but there were "many good and true " men, who considered that the systems system as peculiarly calculated to remedy the alarming evils resulting from such neglect. of education taught in this country were not deficient. Mr. PEWTRESS said, that if Mr. Bennoch happened —(Hear, hear.) He wished the two countries had been to be longer acquainted with the court, he would It separated in th e reso l ut i on , because the peo; le of found it to b e unnecessary to give so long a Ireland, owing to thei r di stresse d con di t i on, were not lecture upon education —he would have known that so susceptible of education as the people of this country, the numerous motions made in it for the promo- as they were " torp id an d apathetic. " Mr. Bennoch tion of educatien, h a d b een supported most vigo- quoted France, America, Prussia, and Belgium as coun rousi y and that it s mem b ers were upon all occasions tr i es i n which Government schemes of education had anxious to have the d e fi c i ency supplied. He could not, been most success f u l. Wi t h respect to France, a gentle however, agree in the opinion that the deficiency was as man named Nortley stated that about 700,000 children great as had been r e p resented. All experience had were receiving primary instruction, which he found to shown that the grossest exaggerations had been made, be worthless and deficient in morality, and that the In fact education existed near l y i n proportion to the sc h oo l masters were far from skilled in their profession. extent of the population.—(Hear, hear.) If gentlemen In America the education was a national thing—a de would take the trouble to enquire they would find that mocratic system of education—which was similar to the numbers of schools were adapted to the accommodation system which this Government proposed to adopt, but of more children than attended them. It might be nevertheless America upheld slavery—that he supposed taken as a general rule that parents wished to h ave t h e i r was one of the distin g u is hi ng f eatures o f t h e Government children educated. What then was the rea son th a t plan.—(Oh ! oh !) A mer i ca up h e ld a di st i nction be their schools were not crowded ? Why because of the tween black and white, an d y e t th ey were told to poverty which existed. The poor were unable to put look to America as an exam pl e o f t h e success of clothes on their children suitable to attendance at school. a Government system of education. They should, how- The rate of wages was so low that even food could not ever, look to the result. Then the mo ver o bj ecte d be supplied. That such was the case in England as well to the voluntary system. Why, w h a t h a d it done es in Ireland there could b e n o d ou bt, an d it was t h e Look at the tens of thousands—he m i g ht say th e mil -1 duty of the Government to effect, if possible, an alteration lions who had been educated and were now being edu in the labour market, as infinitely better calculated to cated by voluntary aid! All the great measures which benefit the population than their system of education, had been adopted in this country were indebted to vo- An improvement in that respect would comprehend the luntarism. The Corn-laws which were once upheld b the House of C ommons , were a b rogated through they education of c hild ren . Th ere was another important vol l u i n r. ta ß ty m e ti x oc er a tio d n e s n o i f ed in t d h i a vi t du h a e lL did; he was i n f avour effect to be p ro d uce d b y l eav i ng i t to the people to educate themselves. H e mean t t h e preservat i on of their inde pendence.—(llear, h ear .) Th at i n d ependence which of the volunta r y system , con j o i ned ;silk aid from the State. t a M t e t... DE JERSE Y cou ld po i nt to numbe r less instances sprung from th e vo l un t ary pr i nc i ple ought to be cherished by every G overnmen t. I n f act, a little more justice and little less charity were requisite in the treat- in which voluntary exertions had accomplished anent of the poor. Independence, which was the founds- re,ults. Why, the Bible and Missionary Societies tion of all our enjoyments, was perilled by the interfer- done more for education at home and abroad than the ence of the Government. Government could do, w i t h a ll its rnachinery,i n the next Deputy STEVENS was thankful for the educational half century. From the official report of a gentleman measure of the Government, and considered that the with respect to the state of the prisoners confined voluntary principle would not sustain the least injury in Parkhurst, he found this result stated with respect to by its operation. He disapproved of the proposition to 900 prisoners ; that one might be apt to imagine that out of that number there would not be mor e t h an 100 go up to the Queen. A privilege to be exercised up o n rare occasions, and could not be necessary at a ti me who had r ece i ve d an y e d uca t ion , b u t w h at wou l d they when Government were evidently doing all they could say if the very reverse was the ease, and that not m ore than thirty had not r e c e i ve d a n y e d u cation, an d th at t h e petition to the Houses of Parliament i n le r the benefit of the people • but he should most will- rest had—the gr ea t p or p or ti o n o f th em i n S un d ay ingly advocate a support of the measure which Government had brought schools. Th a t a ll thi s cr i me was solely owing to igno rance, was in hi s (M r . d e J ersey ' s ) opinion a fallacy. forward. Then, was , education to be compulsory or not ? Mr. Ben . noc . h s resolution might be taken both ways. To Mr. BOWER contended in favour of the Government make i t compulsory,. would be monstrous. Why, the Dor measure, and said that so much poverty would not be in existence, if there were not an overflow of ignorance; se.shire labourer with Bs. or 9s. a week, who had half a liberal and that the more a min was enlightened the more &eon children, would tell them that he could not afford to easily did he shako off all the prejudices b; which mind se;da‘ffnec:ed under despotic authority. He hoped the send them to school, as they must go to work as soon as present Adnaii!istration p would be supported in their Mr. R. 7 they cou'd pick up stones in the fiehig. Poverty was at vanities.' appl iedueA u l d b1:u:: it the root of all this and they must feed and clothe the appropriation of funds, which might under other said in the tmhperenortws oo t tn o ri b i r , i eh n , tat: shie:nr , e Cheerio peor, before they Could think of educating them. Let them begin at the beginning, and not adopt laws which ri:isiescuthteion introo fn : o a li r or of other G g u ildhall, remembered when Lord J. Russ , ;ll pos.-ible., could not by any pos,ibility be carried out. It was soon as tin for ward ":3 ;;; l e o s h x 3 : . e s a r t re tng o il proceeded t in e e ( m o l u s themselves t'vnliae warm! the t l a os not justice to offer a pour man education for systern r approvedveryov e v r e u r his children, when he could not send them to school. could , e i ns State e c a o s th a er fac h t a , immensenot compulsory, propt i o h n e u t d l;at if wh i i t ls " t 'e a r n e Bill, by which the voluntary Principlethe would b e ~,k „ ,. for instance, %anted scholars, whilst in London he had into the manner in which the mone n w ruld he 'uncle endeavoured to get scholars for a school in his neigh men of first-rate qualifications. Ile 6 expended , b y bourhood, but he had not succeeded. Something in the Corporation of London, which was tr usteddistinguished that the shape of inducement was required ; but if the Dorset- Corporation• love of civil and religious liberty, and which nave for . its shire labourer could not send his children to school, the to give of Re funds to aid the education of Peoe r fs f iled I Government,tt, would not hesitate to tax him for the edu to all cation of thers • tl rel,gions, wou'd not hesitate in supporting thepAdotat was not the justice which the mini. people of th' • stration in so benevolent an effort to serve the humbler not bed is couetry had a right to expect. There was classes. An objection had hem taken that the greate had not et yof Dissenters throu h h t h a soh 001 , and g out t e coun ry w o they had done far more for educe- tion than the Church, who, finding their system failing, now sought the aid of the State ; but Dr. Hook was of opinion that the Church should educate the children of its members. He denied the correctness of the doctrine, that "if education was good for one, it was good for &l." Why, where would they stop'?—(A voice, "Nowhere at all.") Would they carry the higher branches of educa tion to the plough tail ? because, if the principle were e a d l l u m e a u t s i o t u. b e T p h l a e c y e e d o o u n ld a n n o te drawual a li footing neo f with respect admitted, d t o mareation.—(Cheers.) It was a most dangerous doctrire. when so many prejudices prevailed as there did up: n the question of education, it would be almost impossible to carry out one general scheme ; and if the Dissenters did not avail themselves of it, they would be taxed for its support. The members of the Church, and not the people, would be benefited by it. Th e greatChur mass o cheomp f l t a he ned that the buttresses which supported it were being removed one by one ; but, in his opinion, this scheme would add another to the fabric end strengthen it. The speaker then referred to the poor law, but he was called to order, and some remarks, of a rather personal nature, followed, between several of the stepei hers. Mr. LAWRENCE who had rather hastily exclaimed "Question ! Q irstion !.' claimed a right to do so when he thought a speaker had said enough, and commenced trespassing on the time of the Council. In the House of Commons, the cry of " Question " frequently set led the question.—(Laughter.) Another GENTLEMAN observed that those in favour of the proposition must submit to such observations if they thought proper to introduce such glaring motions. After some little acrimony, Mr. DE JERSEY proceeded to say that despotism was prevented by local influence, arid that the Government acted improperly when it sought to monopolise those local interests. Ile was opposed to any system of education which would prevent men, as the Government scheme would, from being independent. Mr. ANDERTON said the question before them was whether they did or dirt not agree in the scheme of e document—it w h h d o o a education proposed by the Government. Now h e con fessed he was much surprised that any oppositi on h a d come from the gentleman who had just sat do wn , as a t all seasons and on every opportunity be had str enuous ly advocated the education of the people. He had even solicited their aid for schools with which he w as con nected ; but now they found him doing all he cou ld to destroy the fabric he had assisted t o ra i se .— (Hear, hear.) There never was greater fallacy in the world than this uttered by him —th a t th e pro posed plan would destroy the principle of vo l un t ar y sub scriptions for the maintenance of schools, because the object of the Government was tb aid and assist these schools, not solely to maintain them;—(Hear, hear.) Why, the Lord Mayor and the Aid er th en , an d, i n fi ct , all of them, had been frequently c a ll e d u p pn to a id b y subscriptions sat:eels whose fuedS wer e i n ad equa t e ' t o maintain them; in' -fact it was Tat yesterday that the Lord Mayor attended a sermon in St. S e p u l c h re ' s , w hi c h was preached in aid of a school in th a t p ar i s h, which educated about 100 children, but w hi c h, f rom re m o val s and other causes, had got 1201. i n d e b t . Th ey a ll k new the great exertions Mr. Wi re h a d ma d e on b e h a lf o f education, and that he t oo k greet i nterest i n a sc h oo l i n his neighbourhood, th a t h e was t h e sc h oo l master, an d, i n fact, a father to th e c hild ren. —(R oars of laug h ter. ) Thi s school was suppo r t e d on t h e vo l untary pr i nc i p l e ; b ut if the funds :ell off, w h a t o bj ect i on cou ld h e h ave to app l y to the Government an d say " Th e sc h oo l i s i n want o f funds. I can ed uca t e more c hild ren. Will you g i ve me funds to accompli s h so d es i ra bl e an object ?"—(LLar, hear.) To talk o f e d ucat i on d estroy i ng t h e indepen dence of man w as a b sur d . I n hi s op i n i on e d ucation made men indep en d ent. — ( H ear, h ear.) Gi ve the slave education and h e b ecomes a f ree an d i n d epen d ent man.— (Hear, c h i r e e a u r i . a ) r s The sue d I I h o y n th Gentleman m w e n a was a u h , o h u e t he e refer to nsatidbee that n interrupted by Mr. authorisedan mightbe yet it agreed uo edt t o. It materially changed before it was adopted. It had even been changed five times since first issued. Mr. ANDERTON said Mr. Wire had opposed the Church, but now he found the Church becoming more liberal, he turned and said, " No; we will have nothing to do with you. This is a scheme supported by the Church, and what is supported by the Church cannot be wou good, and th ere f ore we w ill h ave nothing to do with it." But if the Church lwould have had ve opposed favoured the i tw plan, e n roe wasdoubt the the Dissenters objectionable power of the Government? "The Corn inivee of the Schools are to have the power of dismiss ing the master." Surely, there could' be no objection to that. They were also empowered to select the books, and the mode of discipline to be adopted. Why, what more could be required ?—(Hear, hear.) "He would have no authority to dieteee what should be done in the management of the school, and would not be allowed to offer his advice, except wished to do so," by the School Committee. What honest Dissenter could object to that? No honest Dissenter could.—(Hear, hear, and cheers ) If they were sincere in their desire to see the people educated, they would not oppose one of the greatest blessings ever proposed by a Gevernment.— (Hear, hear.) Mr. De Jersey said in his statement, that they had room for 400 children; but that they could not get the requisite number to attend. But this might arise from various circumstances. Perhaps the masters were unable to teach them; that was one great failing, as a great proportion of the masters in these sc h oo l s wanted teaching as much as the scholars. In 1834 the report of the British and Foreign Sebes! Society stated that 150,000 children were then growing up in London without education ; and that`'ithin a radius of a quarter of a mile. In the neighbourhood of Barbican, there was a population of 18.000, out of whom the number of children attending day tchools did not exceed 300.—(Hear.) 'This was in the city of London ; and the voluntary sytem had not been able to keep pace with the number of children who stood in need of educe,. tion. A meeting was held in the hall, under the.auspices of Alderman Johnson, in order to raise 5001. for a school ; after it an application was made to the Court to defray the expenses, or that they might not be taken out of the fund collected, and Mr. De Jersey was in favour of that motion.—He hoped that they would pass an unanimous vote in favour of the Government plan. The Govern ment would not be thought to do their duty if they flinched from carrying it out.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Cavil said, when he was told that there were 150,000 children in London without education, he would not be a barrier altogether to the plan of the Govern m-nt. It was the duty of a paternal Government to educate her children, but he was opposed to any system of education which partook of a compulsory character; he did not, therefore, decidedly object to the scheme. There were, however, several details which might be materially improved.—(Hear, hear.) He was glad to find the Government earnest at last with respect to the education of the people.—(Hear, hear.) In his opinion the voluntary system was inadequate to educate the children of this country as they ought to be educated.— (Hear, hear.) A great deal had been done in some dis tricts; but, speaking generally, he considered that the voluntary system had proved a failure, and that some aid should be received from the State. especially as the greater proportion of these schools (and he had considerable experience in them) were not sup ported as they ought to be, and therefore no taxation would be more palatable than one which was raised for educating the juvenile mind. Besides the Church of England and the Dissenters, there were a liege number of children who belonged to neither the one or the other, who should be induced, as much as possible, to avail themselves of the education which would be afforded to them. Mr. PRENDEBGAST considered that the Government would be happy to avail themselves of any suggestions from any quarter, which could render the system they were about to carry out more tifectual ; and with that view they had, no doubt, so extemively circulated the minute which had been agreed to by the Council. It certainly did not partake of a bi go t e d or sec t ar i an character. For every sixpence to be given by the Government one shilling must be raised by voluntary subscriptions ; and no persons could receive it for schools with which they were connected unless they had given their shillings—(Hear) —and the Government, in stead of wishing to take the power from the people in this matter, had put the whole power in their hands, thus showing that they had the highest confidence in the voluntary principle. Mr. De Jersey, and others who opposed the Government plan, had not had the hardi hood to propose a better plan, but they said they would one day be able to accomplish all that was required, althoue,h they admitted that as yet the voluntary prin ciple had failed. But how much crime, which might bs btayed, would occur in the interim ? The members of the Established Church had come forward in the most handsome manner, and those who opposed the system which the Church supported, seemed to do so on this ground—that the Church could save more shillings than they could, and therefore they would have nothing to do with. it.—(Hear.) • Mr. Baines's argument that the Government Inspec tors would exercise a kind of despotism over the pupils and the teacher, and combine tog-ether to prevent the teacher from obtaining a situation elsewhere if he had the misfortune to lose his situation, was the most mon strous he ever heard. Why they had no power to dis miss, and it was unlikely that they would concert together to deprive a monitor of his 101. a year, or for the purpose of crushing a t. ocher because he would not I succumb to them.--(Hear, hear.) Mr. Baines' book was the worst he had ever read.—(Chcers.) He had been a teacher in a Sunday-school, and he found that what was taught on e S unday was forgotten by the children by the C . heers)— next—or that in fact they were more ignorant—( thus showing the importarce of day s c h oo l s in connexion with them. He was afraid that the young people confined in Newgate were but a sample of the great body of uneducated children in this country. He had just returned from the circuit, and had found that those wh o were marked in the calendar as reading but imperfectly, were, for all purposes, as un i nstructe d as if tney had received no education at all. The Ge vernment wanted to ohtain good s choolmasters, end to put a stop to the nonsezi:se taught in many of the school .As a proof o f i gnorance amo n gst persons mov i ng in a iesgher sphere of society, he could state that out of eight e conchtuaster s w h o cam, to him as IL deputation en some business, two cou l d nut' write. He was not one of those who oonsidered that the Government had propounded this scheme in order to help their fortunes at the cl , c Lion, which was so close at hand ; but that they had Brought it forw ar d f or the so l e pur pose of benefiting the people -- (Hear.) Mr. AsittensT consideml that the E-tablished Church hod ever taken a most reprehensible part against tha education of the people. Those in favour of civil and religious liberty wou ld b e as desirous that Atheists should enjoy th e i r op i n i ons w i t h o ut molestation; but it the Minters and the Legislature were of that way of M thinking, and app o i nte d ae istrates to dispense the laws of a similar opinion, would they think tl - at such a Governmeut was fit t o , be intrusted with the manage ment of the education of the whole people? Certainly . not. Yet the Gover nmen t w ere to be intrusted with im mense patronage, which it was .evident they would abuse. What had past experience proved? Why, that out of the sums voted for education, 37,0001., had got into the hands of the two State ICkurches, and but one tenth into the hails of the Dissenters, it was but fair to presume that a similar result would take place under this new plan. The aristocracy found that the people of this country were degenerating, and that they would soon be reduced to a potato dietary, and thinking that many connected with them would be thrown upon them for support, they wished to introduce this system of pensioning, in order also that the people might be kept down to the starvation po;nt.—(Cheers.) The Church wished to keep the people in the condition they were at present. If they did not, why did the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1834, oppose the educational grant ? They had 11,000 parishes and 11,000 teachers in the schools, and now they wanted as many more masters and pensions— each master to have five pupils and five apprentices. They knew if one member of a family were pensioned, that the family was secured for whatever support they might stand in need of. And if the teachers were kindly declared by the clergy not exactly fitted for their vocation, they would be made excise-men and custom house officers.—(ob, oh.) It was by these means that they intended for the future to work the Government of the country ; it was an insidious attempt to obtain influ ence over the people, and those orthodox Dissenters who were in favour of it, were as narrow-minded as the priests themselves. Until they got rid of the influence of the Church, the education of the people could not be property accomplished. Mr. KING considered that there was no lack of the means of education, but that there was great unwilling ness on the part of the parents, wlttli very poor, to wash and comb their children, and send them to school. The supporters of the schools did all they could to induce the children to attend them ; but they verified the old saying, " that you might take a horse to the water, but that you could not compel him to drink." Some localities were unable to afford much for education ; but many of them had powerful neighbours, who were willing to afford all the aid in their power. But the Government plan was one which was neither judicial nor just. To call a father in want of food to send his naked, hungry children, to school was absurd. The voluntary principle would always command subscriptions, and sufficient funds for education ought thus to be provided. He was exceedingly jealous of Government interference. Mr. LOWE said he was a Sunday-school teacher forty years ago, and that he considered Government inter ference would destroy the schools supported by volun tary subscriptions ; they would always work better than Government schools, and would accomplish all that was required. Mr. HALL was of a similar opinion. He was strongly opposrd to state interference,and considered that the mil lion of money proposed to be expended might be devoted, with far greater advantage, for the purchase of clothes for the poor naked children, to enable them to labour, and to pa, ld. or 2d. a-week to an evening school. After considerable discussion with respect to an ad journment, the further discussion of the subject was postponed until Thursday next. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. LONDON, APRIL 12.—Wind W.S. W., moderate breeze, and thick, hazy weather. DEAL, APRIL 11.—Wind S. to S.S.W., light.—Arrd. 10th, her Majesty's steamer Hydra, Africa, and pro ceeded for the River; Caroline, Zanzibar. llth, Par rock Hull, Moffat, St. Kitt's; Serena, Havannah, fur London; Magdalenr, Deetzen, New York, fur Antwerp. Sid. Strathelen, China; Eleanor, Mauritius; Reflector, Cape of Good Hope; Australia, Callao; Scotsman, Ja maica; Royal Albert, Bombay ; Quebec, New York ; Augusta Jessie, Samuel Enderley, Frirt, Kingston, Trusty, Douglas , _ Lanark, and Devereux. OFF DOVER, APRIL 10.=—New Phcenix t .lamaies. OFF. BEACHY HEAD.—Active, Here, New York, for Rotterdam; Tell, Durcks, La Guayra. PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 11.—Wind S.S.E. to W.— Arrd. Erasmus, Vandycke, Batavia, sailed Dec. 19. Sld. Elizabeth, Quebec. SOUTHAMPTON, APRIL 11.—SId. Conway steamer, Bermuda. TEIGNMOUTH, APRIL 10.-51 d. Nancy, St. John's. TORBAY, APRIL I l.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrd. Emma, Kling, Gothenburg, for Boston, leaky. Sld. Royal Tar, Quebec. LIVERPOOL, APRIL 11.—Wind S.S.E., moderate.— Arrd. Dumfries, Green, Shanghae ; Beraza, Moran, Paraiba; New Zealand, Wilson, New Odeans; Argo, Mitchell, Mobile; Alexander, Leeds, Baltimore; Napier, Sandford, ditto; Perthshire, Tait, Philadelphia; Madura, M Neill, New York; Acadia, Harlow, ditto; Wanderer, Boston and Feyal, Susannah, Young, Halifax; Car thage, Fox, New York. Sid. Matilda, Hong Kong; Patna, ditto; Dwarka steamer, Bombay; Minerva, Demerara; David, Leggs, ditto; Hudson, New Orleans; Oregon, Savannah; Cambridge, New York; Dana and Chaos, ditto; Mary Holland, Rio Janeiro; Golden Fleece, Pernambuco; Carolina, ditto; Denison, Antigua; Limena, Porto Rico; Alabama, Havannah. 011' port, Fidclia, New York. The Peggy, Barrow, to Port Talbot, has been brought in here nearly full of water, having struck on Hayle Bank. The Douro, for Vigo, &c., has put buck from Oporto with her outward cargo, having been warned off that port by the blockading squadron. Sid. Aurora, James Orr, Robert, Hannah, Anna, James, and Amity, Newfoundland ; London, New Orleans ; Lord Sandon, New Orleans ; Hersilia. Virginia ; Noble, Alexandria ; V. Colonel Howard, Baltimore ; Helena, Atlas, Ralph Cross, Constitntion, Nicholas Biddle, Emi grant. Mountaineer, Friendship, and Rochester, all for New York ; Loodianah, and Lady Huntley, Staten Island, &c. ; Omega and Ang.ola, Boston ; Prompt, St. John's; New Brunswick ; Briard, Cape Breton ; True Blue, Pictou ; Fanny, Prince Edward's Island ; Abbotsford, George, Burrell, Charlottes George Wil kinson, Alcyone, and Phoenix, Quebec ; Livingston, and Cha;pmans, Montreal. BRISTOL, APRIL 11.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrd. Bor derer. ng Kong; Monmouth, Banyard, Cuba. Sld. Glenelg, St. Vincent;:Sybilla, Jamaica. A quantity of bladders of lard, some casks of tallow, and wreck, were passed floating between St. Ives and Hartland Point by the Brilliant steamer arrived here. NEWPORT, APRIL 10.—Wind W.S.W.—Sid. Enmore, Harannah. PADSTOW, APRIL 10.—A quantity of wreck, several casks of tallow, and barrels of flour, have been picked up on the coast during the last few days. FALMOUTH, APRIL 11.—Wind W.N.W.—SId. Roslin Castle, Quebec. CLYDE.—Arrd. Minerva, Brown, Manila. Ski. Druid, 'Pernambuco; Rolla, Antigua and Nassau. MILFORD, NEAR RENILTON, APRIL 9.—The barque Zuletti, of Boston, sunk inside the bar of Mulroy yes terday, during a very heavy gale ; crew saved. WICK, APRIL 9.—The Selina, of Glasgow, Inverness to Islay, foundered on Dunnett Head last night ; all hands lost except the master, reported to have been washed on shore. PETERHEAD, APRIL B.—A schooner, reported to be the Unity, Sunderland to Nairn, stranded to-day, at the entrance of the S. harbour, during a hurricane, but is expected off when the weather moderates WHITBY, Aram 10.—The Celtrity, of Wells, for Lowestoffe, is on shore under the Cliff, and is likely to become a wreck ; crew saved. SCAT nonouca, APRIL 10 —The sloop Hebe, of Dun dee, foundered yesterday twenty-six miles K of Howley Foot; crew saved. The Ranger, of Perth, has bean as sisted in, leaky. BRIDLINGTON, APRIL 10.—It blew a gale at W.-Bth and 9th, all the vessels in tho bay sailed to the north ward. LYNN, APRIL 11.—The Ebenezer, of Hull, has been assisted in here, dismaqed, &c. SOUTIIEND, APRIL B.—The Twende Broiler, Denmark to London, has been run on the Flats, leaky and with loss of false keel, having been on shore. BOSCASTLE, Arun, 10.—A cask of tallow, marked M. hiP. in black paint, and E 9 in white paint, apparently 8 36. not long in the water, has been picked up and brought in hero to•day. Dunum, APRIL 10.—Wind W.S.W.—SId. Herald, Havannah. KINGsTowx, Ar RU. 9. —Wind W.N.NV.—SId. Xarifa, Barbadoes. WATERFORD, APRIL 9.—Wind N.W. to N.N.W.— Arrd. Frontier, Pettygrove, Philadelphia. CORK, APRIL 9.—Wind N.W. very strong.—Arrd, Ruth, Stephens, New York; Island Queen, Forsayth, Barbadoes; Montreal, Norfolk; Meg Merrilies, Mauri tius; Mary Bibby, Cuba; Vinelia, Murchie, New Or leans; Lucy Ann, Wells, Norfolk. Bth, Un cas , L a th am, ditto; Louisiana, William, ditto; Geo. Saolfield, Schol field, New York; Harmony, Piero, Cumintes. Sld. Mary, Boston; Urania, Quebec; John Frances, ditto; Agnes, ditto. An inhabitant at Stornaway, has addressed a letter to Mr. Dobson, Secretary to Lloyd's, calling attention to the unrequited services of the inhabitants of the Island of St. Kilda, one — of the western islands, in cases where they had rendered important assistance and humane attention, to the crews of several shipwrecked vessels. The writer also alludes to the probably destitute state of the people, owing to there being no communica tion with the island except once a year. SURREY SESSIONS.—The adjourned Quarter Ses sions for the county of Surrey commenced yester day morning, at the Court-house, Newington-causeway. The calendar was extremely light, owing to the pro ceedings of the Quarter Sessions held last Mondty, at Reigate, and the Surrey Assizes the week previous. The Court was engaged the whole morning in trying cases of petty thefts. Loss or LIFE Br FlRE.—Between the hours of nine and ten o'clock on Saturday night the neighbour hood of the Broadway, Ludgate-hill, was thrown into a state of the greatest consternation in consequence of Mrs. Mary Ann Maxwell, aged about 45 years, the wife of a respectable master tailor, carrying on business at No. 5; in the Broadway, having lost her life under the sub;oined dreadful circumstances :—lt appears that the poor creature, who was subject to fits, had returned from market, and whilst seated before the fire, supposed to be either in the act of unfastening her boots or stirring the fire, when she suddenly fell forward across the grate in an apopletic fit, and the fire communicating, she speedily was enveloped in flames, in which condition she was dis covered by Mr. Richmond, one of the tenants of the same house, who having quenched the flames dispatched a messenger for medical assistance, and for the husband of the poor creature. She, however, expired in the most dreadful agonies before their arrival. Upon an examination being made by Mr. Hutchinson, surgeon, of Farringdon street, it was found that the upper part of the unfortunate woman was completely charred over, her face and hands and neck being literally burned to a cinder. FALL IN THE PRICE or BREAD.—Throughout the metrop)lis on Saturday a reduction of id. was made in the price of bread both of the first and second quality. A corresponding reduction was of course also made in the price of flour, &c, CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. The trial of Alexander, Wilbeam, and another, charged with uttering a bill of exchange for 5001., with intent to defraud Messrs. Fuller and Co., the bankers, was postponed until next session. _ _ ' The Recorder having disposed of the only remaining case, which possessed no feature of public interest, the Court rose before the expiration of the morning. The sessions then terminated. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD ClRCUlT—Gloucester, April 10. CIVIL SlDE.—(liefore Mr. Justice MAULE and Special Juries.) CHRISTY AND OTHERS v. POWELL, PIDGEON, AND OTHERS. Mr. Sergeant Tallourd and Mr. Gray were Counsel for the plaintiffs ; Mr. Whateley and Mr. Selie for the de fendant Pidgeon. The plaintiffs, as trustees of the London Joint-sto c k Bank, recovered judgment for the sum of 2,0031. 2s. Si, damages and costs, on the 25th of August, 1t343, against Walter Scott; the public officer of the Newcastle-upon- Tyne Joint-stock Banking Company. In January, 1846, that company suspended payment, and the present suit was a proceeding by Acire facias upon the judgment against the defendants as shim eholders in it. The test of the writ of scare facias was the 6th November. Powell allowedjudgment to go by default. Pidgeon, who alone appeared now by counsel to defend the is:tion, pleaded •`that he was not, nor is he now, a member of the company, in the 'manner and form as in the declaration alleged." The plea, of the other defendants was to the same effect. -The main question in the cause was whether Pidgeon was a shareholder. On behalf of the plaintiffs, a transfer of 250 shares in the Newcastle Bank, in the month of September, 1843, to Pidgeon, by one Thomas Richardson, an original shareholder, and which transfer was signed and sealed by him (Pidgeon), was given in evidence. Upon this trans fer the name of Pidgeon was entered and registered in the books of the bank as shareholder ; and it was proved that three dividends were actually paid on his written authority. His name appeared in the register of share holders lodged at Somerset-house, under the 7 George IV., cap. 46, and it still appeared on the books of the bank as that of a shareholder. The deed constituting the company was put in, and it contained the following clause:--" That every person to whom shares shall be transferred, and who shall nut then be a member of the company in respect of any other shares, shall, as to all duties, obligations, claims, and demands upon or against him in respect of such shares, be considered a member of the company from the time of the same shares being so transferred or so becoming vested in him ; but as to all profits and rights, privileges and benefits to arise from the same shares, such persons shall not be consi dered is a member until he shall have executed the deed of settlement, or some other deed of accession thereto." It appeared that Pidgeon had not executed the deed of settlement, or any deed of settlement thereto. On the close of the plaintiff's case, Mr. WI(ATELEY submitted that as the defendant (Pid geon) had not executed the deed of settlement, and that deed:deprived all mere transferees who had riot executed it of all right to the profits of the company, and various cases had decided that a community of profit was essen tial to constitute a partner, Pidgeon was rot one, and consequently rhe issue, member or not member, should be found for him. Mr. Justice Al AULE said that this company was not a corporation, or constituted under any Act of Parliament, but in effect an ordinary partnership, and although con stituted by deed, there was nothing to prevent the com pany from coming to any new togyement they pleased, by parole, to vary the. terms of the t ' partnership; and that although the deed might hare had the effect of prevent ing Mr. Pidgeon from having shy claim to receive a share of the profits of the company as between the members themselves, yet when the company dispensed in practice with the effect of the deed, end allowed him to receive his share of the profits, and to be registered both in their own books, and in the public register at Somerset house, as a shareholder, it did not lie in the mouth of Mr. Pidgeon, or of the company, as against the public, or those persons who might give credit to the company, to set up the terms of the deed, or to say that he was not a shareholder. He felt not the smallest doubt upon the subject, and he should direct the jury accordingly. His LORDSHIP then told the jury that the question for them was whether, upon the evidence before them, they were of opion that the defendants, or any of them, were members of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Joint stock Bank ing Company. Mr. WHATELEY said he should except to this ruling, on the ground that his Lordship should have told the jury that, upon the evidence before them, they could not find a verdict against Mr. Pidgeon. The question was one of the greatest possible importance, and in reality involved a sum of upwards of 200,0001., and would be, if neces sary, brought before the highest court in the realm. The jury then found fur the plaintiffs against all the defendants. The biil of exceptions is to be drawn up hereafter. PARRATT V. LAMBERT. This was an action by a London advertising agent against the defendant as provisional committeeman of the Jamaica Southern, Eastern, and Northern Railway Company, to recover the sum of 6401. for ads ertising the prospectus of that company in divers newspapers. Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Phipson appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Godson and Mr. Pigot for the defendant. The evidence of the defendant's liability was, that Ee was a member of the provisional committee up to the 16th of September, 1845, when they appointed a manag ing committee. The defendant being displeased at not being placed un the managing committee, stated then, to one of the directors, that he would not attend aga i n , and did not attend again at any meeting, though he occasionally called to hear how matters were going on. Some orders, to the extent of 1481., had been given for advertisements up to the I Gth of September, 1y the Secretary of the company, in pursuance of directions given at preliminary meetings, at which the defendant was present. Those for the residue were given after that day. The def, , ndant had not sent in a formal resignation. Mr. GODSON having addressed the jury for the de fendant, and His Lonnsurp having summed up, The jury retired for about ten minutes, and then re turned with a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 118 L This was the last of the specialjury cases. The following case was tried before a common jury:— FEIIREBEE V. PORTING Mr. Godson and Mr. Greaves were counsel for the plaintiff ; Mr. Sergeant Allen and Mr. Gray for the de fendant. The action was for an assault. The defendant pleaded only that he committed the assault in his own defbnce. The plaintiff is an ironmonger at Stroud, in this county, and the defendant a butcher. Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 40s. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Sergeant GAZELER Josiah Gregory and Edward llyn . es were put to the bar to answer to an indictmqnt, which charged that a certain die with the impression of a lion pa ssant b e i ng used by the Company of Goldsmiths of th e city or' Exeter, for the purpose of stamping and tnarltirg wares, they had, at the parish of St. Andrew, in the city of Bristol, feloniously et uaterfeited the said die, and ha - ci in their possession divers silver spoons stamped with such counterfeit die. Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, Mr. Whateley, and Mr. Gor don, appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr. Greave. and Mr. logs for Gregory, Bynes being and !fended. It appeared that the prisoner Gregory, who was about fifty years of age, had carried on business for nearly fifteen years in Bri3tol as a respectable silver smith, and that Bynes, who was an old m an about seventy, h a d been his foreman and shopman. The motive imputed to them for the forgery in question was, a wish to avoid the payment of the small duty payable on having their silver wares properly marked with the die of the Goldsmiths' Company, within whose jurisdiction they were. A policeman, who went to arrest the prisoners, found in Gregory's house a box containing a punch, a piece of' brass, and various other implements of forgery, and some silver spoons. Some of the spoons were marked with the counterfeit die, and the mark on those which had the genuine stamp was slightly defaced, or, as it was called, guttered. A young man, who had been formerly an apprentice to Gregory, and who appeared to-day to be in the last stage of con sumption, swore that he had been in the habit of seeing for years silver spoons, and other silver ware stamped by the prisoner with the die used by the Company of Goldsmiths of the city of Exeter. It appeared that the impression was taken off a geauineiy-stamped spoon, and transferred to the spoons sold by Gregory, in somewhat the same manner as the Post-office authorities were said to have taken the impressions off the seals of letters, and so made new seals to reproduce the same impressions. The apprentice swore that Gregory was in the habit of carrying the box found by the policeman up stairs every night, and of bringing it down every morning, and that it usually contained nearly the same articles that were found in it by the policeman. This witness admitted, on cross-examination, that he had been discharged by Gre gory. It appeared in evidence that the die used by the Exeter Company of Goldsmiths had, besides the li on passant, three other mysterious symbols. At the close of the case for the prosecution, Mr. GREAVES submitted that there was a variance between the allegations in the indictment and the evi dence, inasmuch as the indictment described the die as bearing only a lion passant, whereas the die proved in evidence had three other marks in addition to the lion. Mr. WHATELY had no objection to the point, if there was anything in it, being reserved. His LORDSHIP reserved it. Mr. GREAVES then addressed the jury for Gregory, contending that they could not rely on the evidence of the apprentice, who was an accomplice at the least, even according to his own statement, and was altogether un corroborated, and was, moreover, hostile to Gregory for having dismissed him. Several witnesses spoke highly of the good characters formerly borne by both prisoners. Mr. WIIATELEY having replied for the Crown, and his LORDSHIP having summed up, The jury, after five minutes deliberation, found both prisoners Guilty, but recommended them to mercy. On the prisoners being called on in the usual manner to say why the Court should not pas s sentence upon them according to law, Bynes said that he had be en alread y very severdy punished, having been frost-bitten in his hands and feet during the severe weather of the l ast winter, from the coldness of the cell in which he w as confined at Bristol. Ills LORDSHIP, after severely animadverting on the cruelty of such treatment to a prisoner, sentenced Gre gory to eighteen and Bynes to t we l ve calendar months' imprisonment, with hard lab our. There are still 13 Crown and 12 Nisi Prius cases un tried, and it is probable that the business will not be over before Wednesday. The Nisi Prius Court cannot sit beyond that day, as the distringases arc returnable I of term. on Thuraday, the B rat day POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CLERKEN WELL. John Egan was charged with stealing a valuablO gold pin, the property of Charles Paternoster, barman at the Nag's Head Tavern, in Leather-lane. The prisoner entered the house a few minutes before twelve o'clock on Saturday night, when the prosecutor refused to serve him, as it was too late. The prisoner refused to leave the house when ordered to do so, upon which the prosecutor took him by the collar, and A struggle ensued, during which the prisoner made a grasP at his stock, and in a few moments afterwards he found that his pin had been taken. A policeman was sent for, and while the prisoner was being taken to the statiorr hou3e he was observed to throw something away, and upon searching in the morning the pin was found close to the spot in the channel. He was fully committed to take his trial at the OA Bailey. W ORSHIP-STR EET. Mr. Inspector Pascoe, of the Ndivision, informal die magistrate (Mr. Broughton) that a robbery of an e% tensive nature was committed at the goods warehouse of the London and North-Western Railway on the morning of ihe sth instant. Tho property, which was nearly a ton and a half in weight, consisted of silks, satins, and a variety of Manchester and other drapery goods, directed to various parties. He (Inspector Pascoe) had entrusted, the elucidation of this mysterious aff a ir to Dubois an d Sanders, two active sergeants of the division , and, througu their instrumentality, live of the receivers of the stole', property were on Sunday apprehended, and about ha lf a ton weight of it was at the same time recovered, together with a horse and cart. He (the Inspector) understood that six of the principals, in the robbery had also been captured in the S (Marylebone) division of police. On e , of the prisoners had made a confession. Mr. BROUGIITON thought that the mere prudent plan would be to consult with the sitting Magistrate at the Marylebone police office upon the subject, inasmuch ss the principals in the robbery had been taken in that di sc trict, and Serjeant Sanders was dispat c h e d th ere to, Wi ll' , Mr. Broughton's compliments for that purpose. It was stated that some of the stolen property had traced to to Peckham. " MARKET NEWS.— (YESTERDAI - • C ORN-EXCHANGE. The arrivals of all articles of home produce for our market last week, coastwise as well as by land carpi tgeo and samples, were on a very limited scale ; while - C . 1 -011 Ireland and Scotland very little grain or any &scrip came to hand. The imports of Foreign Wheat a nd Flour were comparati ve ly sma ll, b u t those of .Baxiiey: Oats, and Beans, were tolerably good. From.Essex_tn Kent a moderate quantity of Wheat came fresh to hat" but from the various other counties the receipts of tho description o'f..grain were trilling. On the Whole:, the stands were fairly suppl e d w ith samp l es °` both red and white, yet the demand, owing' t°. the large attend ance o f L on d on buyers (1:13139' of se horn were very short of stock), and the provincial markets coining higher, was somewhat active, and 0 good clearance was effected, at an advance in the currev cics o)tained on Monday last of from is to fully 2s te,r quarter, and at which the m a rk e t c l ose d fi rm l y . %S fl Foreign Wheat we were by no means h eav ily su pplier Although there was no inquiry for export, the trail * must be considered firm, at a rise in value ot' fully 1 : per quarter. At that amount of improvement, bbn li f 3,500 quarters changed bands. The quantity gr t English Barl e y b roug ht f orwar d was trif li n g . ,1,11 of Foreign by no means l arge. A li kilt d 8 4 were in steady request , at an improvement of is to, in so me f ew instances, 2s per quarter, aucr. 3 f which a good c l earance was (feeted. The quantityr' n Malt brought forward was trifling. Superfine W' parcels were held at Is per quarter more money. the value of other kinds we can notice no improvensi/o" with a fair demand. The supply o f Oats, even includg , the foreign arrivals of last wee k, was by no moo ' l ' adequate to meet the wants of the dealers ; b° I ` . ; ever, the trade was firm, at 6d to is '7)`,,„" quarter above last Mond a y' s p r i ces . The " for Beans was steady, and a few parcels chap g t e hands at Is per quarter more m one y. I n P eas a moac' rate business was transacted, at full prices. Indian COrtt was steady, at late rates. The Flour trade was steady' but we can notice no improvement in value. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE drheat —Essex & Kent, alt—Chevalier...... 78s to Red, New .. • . 743 to 80s Oats—Yorkshire awl 33 4 Ditto,White, New 76s 83s Lincolnsh., lead. 300 3 4g Norfolk and Lill- Potato coin, Red..... 70s 74s Youghal and Cork. of Ditto, White ••• • • • 743 78s Black 1 55 3 10 Irish, Red........ —s —s Cork, White.-- .285 . 4 3- Ditto, White.— ••—s —s Scotch, Feed. .. • • ;3 35 455 Rye—Old •• •••• • • s s Beans—Tick - 1 ' 25 5 , 20 New....... ••• • • • 48 s 54 s P i geons ,43 Barley—Grinding ... • . 40s 424 Pease—G re y. .50 . 5 Malting . • 48s 52s Maple. 51s Chevalier ••• 5.:s 53s White ')l5 5`5 alt— Suffolk and Nor- Boilers 57 5 f01k... •.• . • . 73s 75s Flour—Town-made .• • 605 :791 Brown... •••• • • • • 67s 69s Suffolk • • Kingston and Ware 75s 783 Stocktn & Norfolk 49 5 SMITHFIELD. ' A For the time of year th e i m p or t s o f li re s t o ck L M a London continue on a very mode ra t e s ca l e , th os e ewr o " . this day se'nnight having been compose d o f only Oxen and Cows, 121 Sheep, and 31 Calves, from and Germany. These small importations aro fp Per si ir i; t attributed to the comparati ve ly hi g h pr i ces o f stark _, l3 : ° ,s ruling on the continent, and which lesve,notwithstsenul the operation of our import laws, an unusually en ;1 ; margin of profit to the shipp ers . A t H u ll an d the vargm o ▪ l o other outports the'arriv a l s h ave cons i ste d o f 8, 4 6 ' 14 1 head, chiefly of bea s ts. Th ere were o n offer .to about 200 Beasts 120 Sheep, and 19 Calves from ab road, the whole of which moved off slowly on semewb!' easier terms. From our ow n grazing districts, the art' vals of Beasts fresh up this morning were unusUo lll large; indeed, it was one of the largest supplies on offe r at at this season for many ears p ast . A s to the genet *, quality of the droves, we may observe that, compall: tively speaking, it w as ve ry good, most of the star 11 ,`; carrying a large quantity o f i n t erna l f a t, espeals‘t- e those from Norfolk and Scotland. Notwithstanding tiz attendance of buyers was large, the Beef trade, 'swing to the immense number of Beasts on show, and o change in the w ea th er , was excess i ve l y d u ll, a t ' i , cline on last week's prices of quite 2d per' B ',"'; the highest quot a ti ons f or th e b est S cots not exceetl.7. 4s 2d per 81bs. At th e c l ose o f b us i ness a large nue3l7, of Beasts left th e mar k et unso l d. The arrivals fr°7l Norfolk, Suffelk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire consie l h e , of 1,400 Scots, Homebreds, and Short-horns ; front_ . ,, l "'" northern, western, and midland districts, I,loollercfoll Hunts, Devons, and Short-horns ; from other parts , 0 England, 800 of various breeds; and from Scotland; 2 °. Horned and Polled Scots. The numbers of Sheep w er ` considerably on the increase, and of very excellent qua lity. The primest old Downs, which were rather scarc e ," moved off sloe ly, at last week's prices, viz., from 4s 11 /, to 5s 6d per 81bs ; but all ether breeds were very i n s _ and quite 2d per Bibs lower than on this day se 'nnig ll ; with a heavy inquiry. With Lambs we were scantily' 4 supplied, yet the Lamb trade was in a very depres se m state, at a fall in value of 4d per 81bs, the highest fignij, not exceeding Gs per Sibs. Calves were in short sor es and heavy demand, at Friday's quotations. In 14 ,:a very little was doing, and the rates had a down tendency. Per Ribs. to al 5. d. to a. d. nferior Beasts.— 210 3 2 1 ink the offal. g. d, to ' d i Secondqualityditto 4 0 6 GCend quality - 34 3 6 Coarse-li °oiled ditto 4 6 4 A 'rime large Oxen.. 3 8 310 Southdown Wetlier 4io b rime Scots •• ••• • 4 0 4 2 Dittooutofih;;C - )O1 4` Larg , , coarse Calves 4 0 4 6 Large Hogs •• •• 3 8 1 'rimesrnall ditto .. 4 8 5 0 Small Porkers ••.• 4 6 Calves Is 0 29 0 Q uar t er o ld Pigs ••16 0 '; 4 Inferior Sheep .. . 3 6 310 Lambs .3 0 ‘' SUPPLY AT MARKET. Peasts. I Sheep. Calves. Plg s . 3,763 I 21,100 72 1 327 NZWGIITE AND LEILEENIZATIL. ye Fair average supplies o f country-killed ...Ilea ha come to hand since thi s d a y se ' nnig h t, v i z., a b ou t 12 0 carcases of Beef, 400 of Mutton, 200 of Lai üb, 120 Veal, and 500 of Pork. O n t h e w h o l e we have bee.o , well supplied w ith M eat s l aug h tered i n the rrie troP°l , l; Prime Mutton and Beef have moved offsteaddy, at feif t full prices ; otherwis e th e t ra d e h as ruled heavy.(3.; easier terms. Ab o ut 100 carcases o f foreign Must hg"" appeared on sale, in good condition. At per atone by the Careeze. s. d. to s. d. 5..,41• 01 ; Beef, Inferior ••.•• • 2 10 3 0 Mutton, inferior •• & 1 1 2 middling ••• • 3 0 3 2 middling— 4 0 ; 6 prime large •• 3 2 3 4 prime ~,, 4 4 prime small •• 3 6 3 Pork, large Veal ••••••.• • • • • .. 4 0 5 2 Bin all ••••• • • • 4 /4 6 Lamb, is 4d to 6s 2d norm:rum" AND SPITALPI333O,6 fur the : Owing to the limited s t a t e o f t h e arr i va ls, a advance has taken pla c e i n th e quo t at i ons here, with somewhat improved demand. The following are Pr e ' sent reds, t: — 0 2 Y 4 o o r s k ; 2203 to 230 s ; Dutch , S ' Regents, t 160 s to 220 s ; ditto kidneys, 160 s to 1803. 160 s to 185 s • Lincoln and Cambridgeshire Regent!), aw fxom r 210 s to 260 e ; ditto WOOL. The imports of foreign and colonial Wool last we.:, consisted of about 800 pac k ages. Notwithstanding ni actual supplies on o ff er i n the private contract nui r 7 i , are comparati ve ly sma ll , the demand for all descsiPt'°- is in a sluggish state at barely stationary prices. BOROUGH HOP MARILIGT. The demand for all kinds of Hops still continues very limited ; and it is with difficulty that last week's 1 0. , tu are support e d. S ussex pockets, 78s to 86s ; We a ld Kent ditt o , 8 4s to 98s ; Mid and East Kent ditto, 7' to 130 s per cwt. TALLOW. The market still continues very heavy, and prices til s not supported. In Town Tallow very little is doing. I s 50s 3d net cash. On the Gth inst., Mrs. Richard Hunter, of Brunswick' square, of a son. On the Bth inst., the lady of the Hon. W. A2Couit flolrc ei ALP., of a (laughter. On the Bth inst., in Duchess-street, Portland-p/nce, M TS. Slaughter, of a son. On the 9th inst., at Camberwell, the wife of Jeretniall hither, Dq., of a son. On die 9th inst., at Somers-place, Hyde-park-square, the wife of 11. 11. Oddie, jun., Esq., of a daughter. . • MARRIED. rr tucie° On the 6th inst., at Chri s t Ch urc h, H u ll, Henry ." g Bourne, Esq., solicitor, Alford, Li nco l ns hi re , t o Mary, el daughter of the Rev. John King, M.A., Hull. DIED. On the Ist inst., at Nice, M a j or -G enera l G eorge Craw'rola . late of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. On the 6th inst., in Torrington-square, Mrs. S. Adams: On th© 6th inst., at Teignm ou th, D evon , H ar ri e t, robot o f the late Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Phillips. On the 7th inst., Mr. Robert Carrell, of Ann Cottage, 0441 Brixton, aged 73. On the Bth inst., at Durh am -pl ace , L am b e th, J a ne JJE" phine Henrietta, the lady of Major-General Philip Hay. eis On the 9th inst., in Cambridge-stre:t, Hyde-park. 31 ' Marianne Thesiger. linidon: Printed and Published by KURD() YOUNG, of 1 1 't I lc s Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N 0.112, Strand, In the rt of the Savoy, In the County o f 11 1 d ee m, Tuoidl l 7 l A - 1847, TIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORN IN G-, APRIL 13, 1847.