The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-17 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1855.

POSTSCRIPT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.

-- -
A discussion was raised by the Earl of ALBE-
likitLE respecting the transport of horses by steamers.
Lord Panmure and the Earl of Lucan, and the Duke
of Cambridge, entered into some technical datails on
the subject.
Adjourned at a quarter to seven.

HOUSE OFCOMMONS.-FmAy.

In answer to Sir H. Wuxouoturr,
The CHANCEII.OR of the EXCHEQUER said, that he
should not make his financial statement till after

Easter.
Sir J. PAKINOTON brought forward his motion for
the better encouragement and promotion of general
education in England and Wales. He had taken up
the subject, believing that the Government of Lord
Aberdeen had abandoned it ; and he thought that
his notice had induced the proposition of Lord John
Russell on the same subject. He began by finding
fault with the Committee of Council, as having too
great interests to manage without a more distinct
recognition, and without representation in that
house ; and, secondly, that the sums voted for edu-
cation were misapplied by the committee. The
President of the Council was, in fact, a minister of
public instruction, and his department ought to be
represented by a responsible Minister. He gave
several instances of the want of wisdom and manage-
ment in the proceedings of the Council. He
would give that Council more power, but under
a different administration. After these pre-
liminaries he adverted to the slow progress of
education, which was proceeding at a slower rate of
increase of late years than it was from ten to twenty
years ago. Besides which the education itself was
lamentably deficient. He proceeded to analyse the
latest statistics of education, and commented on 'she
large number of children, shown by those statistics,
to receive no education at all. The cause arose, not
from the number of children at work, but from the
poverty and indifference of the parent, that indif-
ference being caused by the want of education in the
parents themselves. Yet more important were the
defects of such education as was given. He read
the returns of European education, showing that
England stood nearly at the bottom of the scale, and
that the instruction given was inferior to that of
almost every other country. The results were shown in
the great proportion of criminals to the population,
and in the frightful amount of crime in the unedu-
cated districts of the metropolis and the great towns.
He read further reports, showing the great igno-
rance of the population, as proved by inquiries among
prisoners. This state of things was worse than
barbarism. It was said that religious differences
prevented all improvement in the system, but what
was religious difference to those men
not new no-
thing of any religion whatever ? Ho th ated the
nature of the measure he proposed. It was to be
permissive in the first instance. He would frame its
structure on that of the Poor-Law Board. The areas
in the towns were to be those of the municipal cor-
porations, and in the country those of the poor-law
unions. He thought it should be optional for the
ratepayers to adopt or not the provisions of the act.
If they did they were to elect an Educational Board,
the qualification for the members of which would be
an income of 301. per annum. Magistrates were to

THE PRESS.

be members ex officio. The board was to have power
to establish new schools, and to levy an educational
rate. He believed that the voluntary system would
not succeed in insuring a proper system. The rates
should be assisted by grants, as at present, from the
consolidated fund. He proposed that all the schools
should be free, and ridiculed the notion that the poor
only valued education for which they paid. New
schools were not to interfere with existing schools or
interests. Existing schools might come into the
union or remain as they were. He then approached
the religious difficulty. He quoted the large pro-
portion of schools already established by the Church
of England, simply as matter of fact, and urged the
feeling of the country against the secular system,
which the country would reject if voted by Parlia-
ment. He proposed that schools in connection with
every denomination should be equally entitled to the
advantage of his measure, and that the religious
teaching of each school should be in accordance
with the majority of the district. He argued at
length against the possibility of obtaining religious
instruction generally, except at school. Why could
the religious difficulty be got over in every country
in Europe, and not here? He had endeavoured to
deal with the subject in a spirit of fairness to all,
and he trusted that he should be met in the same
spirit.
Mr. HADFIELD said that the actual progress of
education was very great, and argued against the
conclusions of the hon. baronet as to the extent of
ignorance. Rates and taxes would produce general
unpopularity. The difficulty was to get the children
to attend the schools, of which there was no lack.
Lord STANLEY warmly approved of the measure
proposed. The purely voluntary system was now
practically abandoned, and the principle of State in-
terference generally recognised. He would support
almost any scheme for the promotion of education,
but thought that the secular system was so entirely
opposed to the feelings of the people that its adoption
was impossible. If there were to be denominational
schools at all, they could only be established under a
plan like the one proposed. He recommended the
reference of the proposed bill and that of Lord John
Russell to a committee, so as to form a complete

measure.
Sir G. GREY said that the Government cordially
approved the introduction of the proposed measure,
though not very sanguine of its success. Without!
compulsion it would be difficult to obtain the genera
attendance of children. Approving of most of the
details of the bill, he thought that a majority of
Churchmen in populous districts would not fairly
authorise the establishment of none but Church
schools—that the difference between the secular and
religious systems was exaggerated—and that jus-
tice had scarcely been done to the Committee of

Council.
Lord ROBERT CECIL thought that the want cm
education was exaggerated, and objected to the reli-
gions clauses of the proposed bill.
Mr. W. J. Fox could not entirely approve of the
plan, but hoped that the advocates of various systems
would endeavour to concur in some comprehensive
plan which should raise the people from their pre-
sent degradation. He cordially admitted that the
proposed bill was brought forward in such a spirit.
He advocated more especially the free native of the
proposed schools, and argued in favour of secular
schools on the ground that schools instruct and do
not educate. The low state of teaching arose from
the system where the teacher was chosen, not for his
qualifications, but his opinions.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON said that the great difficulty
of the bill was the absolute condition that in every
school some religion must be taught, and that there-
fore all creeds must be supported by the public
money. The religious part must be otherwise pro-
vided for, else persons would be called upon to con-
tribute to the support of a creed they condemned.
The secular party would present a measure of their
own with the view of forming a coalition measure,
and he gave notice that ere long he would intro-
duce it.
Mr. ADDERLEY deprecated the rivalry of contend-
ing bills. The time for action had arrived; bills and
resolutions had been mooted one after another, and
we had not made a single step in advance.
After a few complimentary remarks from Lord
PALMERSTON, leave was given to bring in the bill.
Sir B. HAIL then moved for leave to bring in his
bill for the Better Local Management of the Metro-
polis, in a speech filled with the anomalies of the
present multitudinous system of vestries, boards, and
commissioners.
Mr. FITZROY criticised the bill, which was sup-
ported by Mr. Labouchere and Lord Ebrinton, and
Lord Palmerston having spoken, leave was given,
and the bill brought in.
The House adjourned at one o'clock.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER hag ac-
knowledged the receipt of two halves of a 500/.-note
for income tax, am, from a "Junior Partner."

SATURDAY,

BY CONTINENTAL TELEGRAPH.
PARIS, Friday.
The Moniteur contains to-day a despatch from
Madrid, dated the 15th March :
The proposition of the minority of the Commission
that the Senate be composed of members of which
some be elected and some nominated by the Crown,
was rejected by the Cortes.
Three per Cent. Spanish, 33; One per Cent. De-
ferred, 1815.

General de Wedell has been received yesterday by
the Emperor.

VARNA, 9th March.
Latest advices from Sebastopol state that the
garrison was still in ignorance of the death of the
Emperor.

The first meeting of the Congress took place in
Vienna on Thursday. There were present one
French, two Ottoman, two English, and two Austrian
plenipotentiaries. The discussion on the general
principles of the basis of the negotiations terminated
satisfactorily. The conference began with a pacifio
speech on the part of Count Buol.
Prince Gortschakoff, who has at length received his
powers in due ;orm, has signed a public document,
recognising generally the principles which are to
serve as the bases of negotiations, and which it will
be the business of the plenipotentiaries to define and

apply
On the Bth inst. the Prussian Government pro-
hibited the exportation of articles contraband of war ;
also of sulphur, saltpetre, and lead, if not the pro-
duce of the States of the Zollverein.
Belgium is still without a Cabinet. The latest
account is that M. Theux, the leader of the Conser-
vatives in the Chamber, had had an audience of the

King.
From Constantinople on the 10th we learn that
Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was seriously indis-
posed. A new decree respecting the Tanzimut had

The "IssenibUe Nationale states, on the faith of
letters from St. Petersburg, that the body of the
Emperor Nicholas is exposed to public view in a
Chapelle Ardente. The face of the Emperor is said
to be uncovered, and the reports of the decompo-
sition of the body are stated tobe unfounded.
The new Emperor Alexander 11. has ordered the
following last words of the deceased Czar to be
placed upon the order of the day of the army :
I thank my faithful Guard, who saved Russia in 1825,
and whose eonduct has never belied itself; I also thank
my army and my fleet.
I pray God to perpetuate the bravery and good conduct
of my soldiers, to assure the security of the empire at home
and its power abroad.
Then woe to the enemies that should attack Russia.
If the condition of all my subjects has not been im-
proved as much as I could wish, it is because it was not in
my power to do more.

AUSTRALIA.
By the Argo steamer, intelligence from Sydney to
the 2nd of January has been received.
The riots at the Ballarat diggings had ceased;
there had been no fresh outbreaks. Those who had
taken up arms against the Government were the
lower class of diggers.
Business affairs at Melbourne were anything but
satisfactory. There was great financial confusion,
and many failures had taken place. The markets
were overstocked, and merchandise could be obtained
at considerably less than the cost price in England.
, The Argo has brought 310,014/. in specie and gold
dust.

MR. JONES OF PANTGLAS, M.P., who during the
last six weeks has been seriously indisposed and
unable to discharge his parliamentary duties, is now,
we are happy to state, progressing towards recovery,
and it is hoped that by Easter he will he well enough
to remove from his seat in Wales and resume his
duties in Parliament.
THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY is appointed Chan-
cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
ADMIRAL H. EDEN has entered on his duties as a
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. Mr. Walter
Drummond will be his private secretary.
THE EXPORT OF WHEAT from Algeria has of late
years undergone a remarkable increase. In 1850 it
was only 2,868 hectolitres ; but in 1851 it rose to
107,803 hectolitres ; in 1852 to 363,595 hectolitres;
in 1853 to 543,560 ; and in 1854 to upwards of
754,000.
SINCE the Ist of July last the total stock sold out
of the funds on account of savings-hanks was
1,503,5441. 14s.
PROFESSOR OwEN having bad submitted to him a
carefully-executed drawing of one of the more per-
fect impressions left in the snow at Luscombe, North
Devon, on or about the Bth ult., decides it to be the
" hind foot of a badger." The superstitious Devo-
nians had already given the track the name of the
" Devil's Walk "

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11M■isms.