The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-27 00:00:00

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE

PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.

YORK, II ossur, Sin. 26.

The proceedings of the day commenced by a gene-
ral meeting of members of the association at the Festival
Concert-mom ; Lord BROUGHAM in the chair.
A special addrees was delivered by the President of the
Eduatioa Department, the Archbishop of York.
Lord Brougham proposed that the thanks of the meeting
should be given to the archbishop for his admirable address,
adding that in doing so the meeting did not bind itself to
all the opinions which it expressed, although it gave its
thanks for his having brought them before their notice.
(Cheers.)
Dr. Emerton, who rose in the body of the hall, said
that nothing but a strong sense of public duty—duty to his
lordship and duty to his grace, could have induced him, as a
stranger to all, to come forward at this meeting and to speak
on the present ocamaioo.
Mr. Eiastinp—l rise to order. ("Hear, hear," and ap-
plause.) lam sorry to interrupt any member of the aro-
Matto° but it is my duty as the eneentive officer to remind
Dr. Eilerton that Ink if 'not the preperplaiirleklesiessm
preseion of any opinion regarding the address which ham just
been delivered. (Hear, hear.)
Dr. Emerton—As an Englishman. (Cries of "Chair,"
and " Order.") Al an Eagliall clergyman. (Cries of "Sit
down," "Chair.") I appeal to tour lordship I appeal
to the archbishop. (Cries of "order, chair," and "Sit
down.")
Mr. Hastings—l rise to order, and have a right to be
first heard. (Hear, hear.) With the greatest personal
courtesy towards Dr. Emerton, I must say that any ob-
servation he may have to make will be heard with the
greatest pleasure in the proper place. The proper place for
him to make any observation on education is in the education
department. (liear, bear.) We have not met here for the
purpose of discussing his gracegrace'saddress ; and tbe business
for which we are assembled is now at an end. ("Hear,
hear," and applause.)
Dr. Emerton —I am quite satisfied. (Applause.)
The meeting then separated.

The ordinary business of the departmeut was then corn.
minced at the De Grey Rooms ; the Archbishop of York
in the chair. The special question for discussion was,
"What is the state of education in rural districts and small
town populations, and how can the peculiar difficulties
attending it be remedied ?"
In the discussion which ensued Sir J. Pakington expressed
an opinion that the present system adopted by the committee
of council was not adequately adapted to the educational
wants of the country, and he looked on the revised code and
the subsequent minute as the first steps towards a complete
adaptation of the system to the wants of the oountry. He
dissented from the principles laid down by Canon 'heir..
raising as they did the question whether in the extension of
education, the clergy of the church of England should
assist in that process in an exclusive or a tolerant and com-
prehensive spirit ; and he differed with the rev. gentleman
in hie estimate of the " conscience clauses" of the revised
code, without which it was impossible to have one good
school instead of several small bad ones in a single
district. Although abstractly be was of opinion that in
national schools the national religion should be taught, and
that when it was practicable there should be separate
schools for members of the established church and
diluents:l, yet, as a member of the church of
England. be feat it his daty to protest spinet
the opinions enunciated by Canon Trevor. Is
one point he agreed with that gentleman, namely, the
scheme he propounded for uniting small parishes for the
purpose of establishing one school.
Canon Trevor replied, and said that his whole paper was
intended as a protest against Sir J. Pakiagtoo's principles
and public act. in reference to national education. He de-
fended himself against intolerance in the matter of educa-
tion, and declared that he had always in every school be
bad had to do with endeavoured to bring children of all
demminstiolui together.
The discussion wee continued by the Rev. Mr. Melville.
Rev. Mr. Sanford, one of the government inspectors of
schools, who expressed as opinion in favour of an educa-
tional rate ; the Rev. Nash Stephenson. use of the more-
taxies of the deportment ; by Led Teignmoutli, who con-
firmed a statement of Mr. Sandford, that practimilly dis-
senters did not refuse to allow their children to be taught
the Church Catechism in national schools, but this would
probably be the ease when its istrodoetion was sot com-
pulsory ; Sir S. Northcote, who suggested that the
object of the association being scientific, and its aim to
collect fads and elicit priuclrlev, it was desirable to avoid
controversial matter. He pointed oct that the educational
movement in this country, which had its origin in a desire
to meet the educational wants of the poorest classes,
had risen to the level of the class above ; and
when the government took up the matter, they
found that in administering a large centralised system they
moat be guided by rules which were fixed and unelastic,
and this operated against the extension of education of the
lowest dames. Much of this had been met bye new system
of apportioning the education grants, and the question was
whether it was not possible to make the new system of
payment for results apply to the schools of the poorest class,
and to this point he invited all those interested in education
to apply their minds to the difficulties which stood in the
warof this coosummation. He advocated a system of load
management, and of local rating, although he doubted
whether the time was come for adopting that system as
yet. After some further dismission the department ad-
journed.
It may be mentioned that this department attracts
larger audiences than any other of those that are in opera.
Sou.

FIRQT DEPARTMENT.—JMISPHUDEVCE AND
AHE:NDMENTI OF THE LAW. Lord Buorouri

presiding.

The special quwitiou for discussion was, " Whether any.
and what, auselioratious could be introduced into the
constitution and conduct of criminal prosecutions."

A paper wee read on the point bye
Robert Stuart. lA.,
in which he strongly advocated the sppoiotment of r public
prosecutor, nod was of opinion that a private prosecutor
could not bring to the conduct of criminal prosecutions that
calm and unimpassioned spirit which might be ezpected to
characterise apublic prosecutor.
A discussion ensued, which was kept up with sufficient
animation.