The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-10-29 00:00:00

OUR PU.BLIC MEN.

LORD STANIZT OR EDUOATIOX.--Lord Stanley
preaidel at the soiree of the Leeds Mechanics,' Institu-
tion and Literary :loch ty, on Monday night, and met
with a cheering reception. His Lordship opened the
proceedings in a rather lengthy speech. In the first
place be cougratulated the members of the institute that
their educational progrens had been emisething more
than a name, and be entered into figures which he said
showed plainly that the managers and teacheni had lied
their heert in the work, because elementary knowledge
had improved and increased in quality. The heal of
such institutiens was felt more than it used to be. The
great drawback was the ability of children to bring by
their labour an annual income of about £3O a year
each, when, perhaps, the whole fatally means of subsis-
tence slid not exceed E. 50 a year. There was also the
desire of the boy to begin business on his own account,
a feeling atrung in this country—stronger perhaps in
this than any other country except Ainerica. It they
did not look these facts in the face they should be
deceiving themselves, becauae it was important that
there should be an extension of the time passed in
school. He believed that a fault of modern teaching
was the natural ambition of the teachers to crowd a
great deal into a limited time. After reading sonic facts
from the last report of the Irish Education Board lie
appealed to every instructor, or petron, to every master
of • school, and to every clergyman, whether a conside-
rable portion of the children did not pass through the
routine of lessons literally without carrying away any-
thing which would be of uRe to then' in after life.
Various opinions had been expremed, and various
opinions would be expressed, on the new educational
cede which was exciting so much sensation. He did
not go into the matter of pledges given, and personal
expectations broken, but it appeared to bite as being a
wise and rational 'Demure, as what was now wanted was
nut so much to augment the number of achuola as to
utilios the number they had. Ilia lordhip referred to
and particularised the facilities for education which now
elitist, and observed that in Leeds there was no ground
for complaint a 3 to the want of such mean 3, but
especially did lie attach the greatest posaible importance
to evening Manses. He showed the Increase of priumen
which had gradually taken piece in Leeds in connection
with the Olford and Durham examination, and said
that, roughly speaking, while three well the average
number of candidates who had passed those examina-
tions in other pieces, the average nuniber who had
passed from Leeds was four. In noticing the preetical
results of educatioi. upon our natural manners and life
lie said no man uould doubt the importance of lushly
health, and no more real benefit could be 4:outs's red upon
• people than when they reduced the rate of mortality
▪ kmened the aliment of diseate ; but tlDs was in a
great measure prevented either by ignorance on the tart
of the working-men or of society as to the physical laws
of our being and the essential importance of pure water,
sufficient drainage, and healthy bodily exercise. People
might say the fault of ell, exalt the teat, lay with the
landlonls, but if the people took an interest in those
things, and understood their immense public impor.
tante, there was no danger of landlords not doing their
duty. His lordship said he rejoiced to see the progress
the cooperative movement was nicking. He slid not
say this in the hopes of encouraging it—it would make
it. own way. lie beld that such institutions as these
would enable the working-wen to work out that impor-
tant social problem, and they supplied a gap in our
educational system which could nut otherwise be filled
up.
••

opin:

THE RICOORDZI Or BIRMINGHAM ON THR YRICTNNTION
or Cato& —The Recorder of Birmingham, M. D. Hill,
Esq., Q.C., presided at the quarter sessions for that
borough on Monday, and in course of a lengthened
charge he rderred to the somewhat needles,' alarm which
many persons manifested a few years ago, and which
would seem to turn the present minority of criminals
into a majority. In those deys, lie said, some ',anions
hod the most extravagant notions of the progreu of
crime; but, as soon as the criminal statistic* were pub-
lished, it was found that the supposed increao, if there
was an increase, was really very small. Since the mole
of treatment of criminals had been improved, though it
was far from being as good as it might be, it would he
found as a general rule that any increase of crime which
was common to the whole country and extended over
more than • very short period, was obviously due to a
de?reesion in the peenniary circumstances of the
country. He suggested that the principle applied in this
country, by the Refurntetory Acts, to parents who
were called upon to contribute towards the support of
their children in these schools, should be extended to
parents whose children were in prison. The suggestion,
lie admitted, was a new one, but it would receive their
candid and earnest attention.
lIR. BRIGHT AND THKBPIDRI.—A friend of our., the
other day, happened to find himself alone, for short
distance, in the wane railway carriage as John Bright.
Usually, great men in the company of strangers are
taciturn and wrapped up in themaelves, but Mr. Bright
on this occasion was free and easy, and apparently ready
for either fun or philosophy. The weather, the lights
in the carriage, the news of the day, or any other great
or trivial thing, gemmed to suit him equally well fur
topics of conversation. As the train was about to start
• well dressed person, probably a country cotton spinner
rather the worse for liquor, came up and said, " Ito you
object to my smoking in this carriage?" "I don't" said
our friend, "if you can make it agreeable to the offi-
cials. "Do you ?" said he, iuldressing Mr. Bright, who
sat in the next seat, "Oh. I don't object to anything—
! don't object to anything," lie replied, with a good-
natured smile. The gentleman, however, i robably not
liking the looks of either party, went elsewhere. "He
might have come in," said Mr. Bright, looking after
him; "he's easily frightened." Mr. Bright, we under-
stand, though merely • teetotaler, enjoys an occasional
pipe or cigar. Soon after • spider was observed spin-
ning its web from the top of the earringe. By-anehby it
approached Mr. Bright's hat, and seemed disposed to
make • lodgment on it. Our friend raised his umbrella
to strike it down, which drew Mr. Bright's attention to
It. "What', that r said he. "Only • busy spider,"
was the reply. "Oh, let it alone," observed Mr. Bright,
"it will do no harm." "it will be on your hat in a
moment," said our friend. "Will it r said Mr. Bright,
throwing his head back as if in fear. This motion
alarmed the little worker, which speedily wound up its
thread and for a moment disappeared. In a second or
two it came out of its web again and commenced spin'
fling. The two travellers watched the basy nimble
movements of this tiny member of the "working
alums" with great interest, and at last Mr. Bright,
heaving • sigh, as if he had reason to spank feelingly,
and to envy the little thing, said, "Ads! that's a happy
fellow; be is nut troubled about the raw material, for
he carries it with hiss."
A RtMLNIBG/LNCS or Cot.. Steritonr.—lf, says •
facetious writer in a Liverpool pe•vr, the perturbed
spirit of Colonel Sibthorp walks the earth, as the
corporeal Colonel when in the flesh often swore it
should, it will approvingly smile—[the Colonel's smile
in life WU appalling, what must it be is death ?) on the
suit of Mr. Brumley Moore, the Conservative candidate
for Lincoln, on account both of tailory and politics,
particulary the former. Bromley dresses well—for •
provincial—end the Colonel abhorred au ill-clothed
creature aci he did • mad dog, or mad doctors, whom he
was always advising to "throw physic to the dogs, for
he would have none of it," unless .‘mothered in Cognac,
and then he would swallow enough to float • revenne
cutter. Indeed, his niain objection to teform was, that
it would let in, and did let in, the uncouth and uu•
"embed. Otter, soon after Me Bill became law, he
walked up, not exactly straight up, to the table, about
three o'clock in the morning, when an adjournment was
impending, and bahmelie; himself in a mode Blundiu
hasn't • notion of, cried out—" Mr. Speaker, / remem-
ber, and so do yes too, Sir, when this Inoue was the
house if • gentleman, who were gentlemen, and looked
tetra they were. Is it so now? No, by---- [Shaftes-
bury forbid we should print the profanity I I don't
believe there are six clean shirts in the whole place ; but
Ido know who has one," Striking his breast, said
striding down the floor; the majestic Manners Sutton,
' stateliest and severest of Speakers, nearly swallowing
the wings of his wig to prevent going uff at the volcanic
civic wairiur, in the spirit of Wham, snob-squelching
ebullition he so conlielly sympethised that he would
have been delighted to exclaims " Them's my sentiments,"
only in phraseology perhaps a trifle more pailiamentary,
if • little less unsophisticated and colloquial.
Ma GUILDVORD ONSLOW ON IiZIORM. Mr. Guild-
ford Onslow, met his constitutents at Guildford
on Wednesday. The hon. gentleman commented upon
the molts of tbe last session of Parliament, and re-
ferring to the representation of the people, he remarked
that reform was shelved for this Parliament, and he
deeply regretted to say all chance of giving increased
political privileges to the working classes were scattered
to Um winds. The first duty of • representative was to
look after the expenditure. Nobody could deny that
the expenditure was alarming and onjest, and it was
his opinion that the only reineity was • better repro.
sentation of the people. Thew must always hear in
mind that the revenue was chiefly derived from beer,
tobacco, Ws, and sugar, which he would not call the
luxuries, but the rrecessities, of the working classes,
who did not resolve their political penny, although they
bore the greater share of the burdens and heat of time
day. Let the Government beware bow they waited fur
times of trouble and discontent to grant the people
their rights—let them remember that in such times they
would not give, but give up. Ir. Onslow was in the
House when insult was added to injury, and reform was
turned to ridicule and contempt by that Minister who
owes his Gooiest, and had ever owed his position, to
the part lie took in bringing in the Reform Bill of
He (Mr. (Melo.) afterwards supported the measures
introduced by Mr. Baines and Mr. Locke King, which
were thrown out, notwithstanding the unanswerable
arguments of three gentlemen. The hon. member also
supported the Ballot Bill, the introduction of which
was generally anticipated as • time of fun and frolic ;
but the Whig Obvernment had lead with the Oppo-
sition that that bill should never pass its first reading.
He looked upon the ballot as one of the people's rights,
and he eonsidered that extending the franchise amongst
the dependent working glares without it was only
increasing the present evil. At the conclusion of the
1100. gestlensan's address • vote of thanks and con-
fident)e was carried unenisuously.
MN. 11. P.—On Wednesday evening, says
tit I arethrion Dail, Leader, Mr. Dillwyn, member for
Swansea, spoke at the Guildhall on "The Last Session
of Parliament,' having been solicited to deliver a lecture
on behalf of the Widows mad Orphan's Fund °annealed
with the Swansea district of the Independent °Mist a

Odd Fellows. There wee a law, and influential
audiLlice. prtscut. The chair was occupied by the
Worshipful the Mayor, who, with the leeteree, we
warmly eildsu led on coming forward. The hon.
gentlemen tduelied upon the principal creel% of the last
•LNsion, and with regard to Use paper duty be said that
it 3 repeal was the removal of • disitrace from our statute
book.