The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-11-04 00:00:00

THE BHICK-WALL SYSTEM WON'T DO NOW!

Gentlemen, we have always had in this country, both in
officers and ill men, an army of the noblest and the very best
material. (Cheers.) Allow me to give you a short anecdote
to vary the weariness of my discourse. I dare say many of
you may have heard the name of Bewick. who was a famous
woodcutter anti also an artist of great celebrity; a northern
man. Ile lived, I think, in the time of the American war.
Bexides his wood-cutting he determined that, as it was a
time of danger, having an English heart in Ms bosom, he
would learn a little soldiering. So he and two or three
of his friends sent for the drill sergeant. The drill ser-
geant put them through their exercise, but he only gave
them one precept, and that was this tie said to them,
mind, my lads, what you have to do is thus ; when you go
iuto action you most stand like a brick wall. Anti that has
been the great quality of the British soldier—that, under all
circumstances, he has been ready to stand, and he has
stood, like a brick wall. (Cheers). And there was a time
when standing like a brick wall was about enough Pi win a
battle. That won't do now. War, instead of a rude con-
test of strength, has become one of the most highly de-
veloped of all the arts practised by mankind, I know not
whether to regret it art,, rejoice in it-1 only state the
fact ; but, instead of trusting simply to the native and ster-
ling qualities of the country, we must now endeavour to add
to these qualities every advantage that can be imparted by
the most skilful and effectual training. (Cheers.) With a
view to this training, not merely in the men where it is con,
paratively easy, but in the officers who are now, even more
than the stint, the strength of the army, and the essential
conditions of its efficiency, we have asked the country to
pay a large stint of money. 'the country has met that call
with cheerfulness, anti has witnessed with satisfaction the
downfall of a great monopoly.

THE EDUCATIoN ACT.

I ask those who are least satisfied with the Education Act
this one and simple question-whether it is led a great
stride, and a great stride achieved upon a path of real pro-
gress. (Plieers.) 5. most valuable Act was passed
by NI r. Stansf, hi ici tl.e last Se, b an of Parliament, NV likh will. I
trust, li. the beginning, of immense good ill that respect. and I
refer to it now because it touches upon that principle of the
Education Act! have just mentioned, na:ncly this - that as far
as possible the application on that Act is to be left in the hands
of the local authorities. Cheers .) Well, gentlemen. lam '
not surprised or disappointed, and I hope you are not either,
if we find that some difficulties have arisen in the working
out of the details of that Act. A great interest Mrs been ex-
cited both hi this and in other constituencies with respect
to the payment of fees to denominational schools for the edu-
cation of those children whose parents are found to be un-
able to bear the charge of their education. Now, perhaps,
it will be a comfort to you to know that at least there is
some hope that the extent of this grievance-of this diffi-
culty - may not be very wide. In the town of Stockport,
the Education Board have lately resolved to, introduce the
principle of curupulsion which, as I have said, or as I have
Implied, was one of the principles of the Education
Act. Cheers They have, by issuing their notices
on that subject, added 25 per cent, to the number of
children attending schools. :Cheers , In 10) cases they
have had to admonish the parents and warn them that
they would he punished unless they complied with the Act.
flint the whole amount of money applied-they have as yet
no rate schools in action, and therefore they have been
obliged to allow all children to be sent to denominational
schools-the whole amount of money they have as yet paid
to such schools In aid of poor parents comes only to £l7.
(Cheers.) But gentlemen. I have no doubt that the ques-
tion is a grave and serious question, and I will not now at-
tempt to say more upon it than this-on the one hand we
shall endeavour to adhere to that principle of the Act which
; aims at the severance between the application of State
funds and controverted matters in religion ; and on
the other I must pause, for my own part, and I be-
lieve my colleagues would feel themselves obliged to pause
before they could resolve to say to the parent desirous to
send his child to a school of his own persuasion -compelled
by public authority to send It to school and unable to pay
the charge -If you attempt to send the child to a school of
your own persussion, if you don't consent to send hint to a
school the principles of which you disapprove-namely, the
rate school, we shall send you to prison. (Bear, heal.) I
don't think public opinion would sustain us in such a course.
(Cheers.)

TIIE BALLOT BOX.

I believe it to he your opinion that we made a good and
wise choice in pressing that important question on the atten-
tion of Parliament. (Cheers.) The enfranchisement and the
Wide enfranchisement of the working class was intended to
give the boom of political power not only to the class but to
every individual in that class. We have, therefore, to secure
in the case of these persons, many of them ion considerable
extent from their temporal circumstances dependent upon
others, that the vote which we invite them to give shall he
given freely (cheers), freely as respects the landlord, freely
as respects the customer, freely as respects the employer,
freely as respects combinations of the working class itself.
'(heers.) Now I rejoioe to think, gentlemen, that although
the Royal Assent has not yet been given to a hill for that
purpose, yet fernery practical purpose, after the proceedings
of last Session, the question has very nearly reached the
stage of dual triumph.