The Express.
London, England, 1856-06-23 00:00:00

LONDON. MONDAY, JUNE 23.

THE resolution room:tins National Education in
Ireland, which stands is the name of Mr. CHI-
CHESTER FORTZSCUI on the nodes paper of the
Hoare of C 00303008 for this evening, is evidently no
answer to that of Mr. WALPOLE which was carried
on the 17th instant. The alteration propmsd is tits
system on that occasion was nothing law than
the establishment of separate Church of England

school.. which Sr. to be placed ands, the patronage
and control of this clergy and laity of the Anglican
°ammonia, but to be supported oat of the funds an-
nually voted by PuHaunt is, the primary instruc-
tion of the entire people. The objection to the
change thus recommended woe War—that the exist-
ing system recognises no sepastoor sectarian school.,
lye the wee of children of any persaseion—that to
indiums each schools for one particular creed would
inevitably lead to the institution of similar provisions
Jar all eees—ad that the whole fabric of neutral
and truly national education hitherto subsisting i•
Ireland would thereby be overthrown. The object.
doe am disregarded, and the subversive vote was',
carried on Tuesday last by a majority of tn. Mary-
body was surprised at the result, and Ministers, °pa-
ssim' of the mischief that would enosso if the resolu-
tion of Mr. WALPOLE were not reconsidered and
rescinded, announced their readiness to support any
amaterdeclaration that might be proposed, and
offered to pat aside other public boatman fur the pur-
pose of having the question thoroughly re-investi-
gated. On Friday last Mr. FORTES:MI gave notice
of his intention to move this evening the following
resolution :

That this house hos °barred with 'etiolation the pro-
grim inade in the instruction of tin parer Winn et her
Majesty's Irish tubjrce, sailer the dlainitia of the Con-
missioaan of N.tioasl Idaeatioa; mad is a 'plain that.
la the admiaietratioa of that system, Of la say ossilihatioa

. -
of its raise, there sbesid be miatairted a strict sad sad,*
riatiag &dimities to its feadasanital priactipies, securieg
parental authority sad the rights of coasciesse to pupils of
all deenennaticas, by exeludiag all compubory religious
teachiag, this boom bents convinced that so plea for the
*dawdles of the Irish icor, armorer wisely end 'mania-
Useably oantriard in other respects, slut be earned into
dbitsal operation, unless it be espfleity avowed sad
Illeacty sederstood, as its leading principle, the& no attempt
Aar be node to influence or disturb tie peculiar religious
Swab of nay sect or deaoninatioa of Cinnamic.

Now, it most strike the least aritieel reader that
this somewhat verbose and vague roolution does Dot
teach the main question. For anything it contains
to the contrary, the Church Education Society might
and would obtain what they &mead, namely, the
ereetios and =intumesce of separate schools under
their management and control. The Parliamentary
advocates of their scheme loudly deny any design
to yes the funds they ask from the State
tor the purposes of proselytises, and by way
of guarantee to their sincerity they offsr to omit
thew of any catechism, creed, or formulary
in the ordinary course of instruction. The see
of the Scriptures as • daily class-book is indeed in-
deed on; but this they allege cannot be coasidereel
as say proof of a wish to maks converts of the
pupils, because, as they my, several thoassad Roman
Catholic children actually attend their existing mai-
m/lea, and the reasonable presumption is that their''
dew and parents would not suffer them to do so
II each attendance were regarded as an act of infant
recusancy. Practically, we know bow hollow sad
evasive this line of argument is, bat it is not so easy
of positive disproof; and Mr. Walrocz and hie
friends so far deceive themselves as solemnly to more
Parliament that what they want is not the means of
converting the children of other creeds, bat theme's*
of adequately instructing those of their own weed. To
this Mr. FORTESCUeS resolution gives no answer
whatever ; and there is, in point of fact, no reason
why it should not be supported by all who last week
voted with Mr. WALPOLE for separate Church school'.

Indeed these gentlemen an said to be prepared to do
so. At a numerous meeting of the Opposition, held
on Saturday, the course to be pursued this evening
was, we understand, fully discussed ; and a great
prepaid/ranee of opinion is reported to have been in
favour of adopting, without any reservation, the in.
nocuous but wholly inconclusive declaration proposed
by the hon. member for Louth. Some, with
characteristic shortness of sight and absent*
of sense, wen for moving an amendment
in terms avowing the reel aims and objects
of the retrograde movement; they wished to follow up
the blow already struck at the becalm principle of
the existing system, and, regardless of immediate
results, to bid defiant), to all who desire its preserva-
tion, as sceptic., indifferentist., and idolators. It
may be that some such frantic effort may be made.
It matters little. What dose matter math *whether a
distinct and explicit repodiationdthe subsume of Mr.
WALTOLeB resolutice is or le sot to be carried la the
Moose of Commie& For the reams we have pointed
eat, Mr. Foassecon's proposition is altogether in.
worthy of the occasion, and Masters ought not to
hesitate originating or supporting some amendment
thereon which world met men's minds at rest regard-
ing the stability of the preemie admirable system
of National Education. The Irish are habitually
distrustful and suspicious; and as far so the
present House of Commons is concerned, they have
some grounds for being so. By one rots daring the
present session, the settlement of 1646 respecting
Mayoooth was invalidated ; by another, the eompro-
mime of conflicting claims to separate sectaries anria-
tios of the laity has now been pissed in jeopardy.
Vapid sesames that so harm is meant, and nice
dirinedons between the souse in which a resolution
L moved sad that in which it is aftepted, will serve
as useful end in such a oonjuncture. No words sea
be too precis, or too plain to efface the fatal vote of
Tuesday last. There are occasion when diplomatic
Same cud a pedantic adherence to the letter of m-
elodeon would be unpardonable, and this is ea of
them. It ay sot be usual to reverie a vote for an
address to the Crown, in so many words, and it
may at be customary to advise the Crows to give a
direct refusal to the prayer of an address from the
Moose of Commas. But these are, after all, bat
respectable pedantries and constitutional sapersti-
Boos. which ought not to be allowed to conaterba-
hoes consideratioos of deep moment to the charac-
ter of Government for good faith, and the perms-
nest welfare a a whole enatry.
Lord PALIIIRSTON le pledged in tense the mast
precise to estisavour to obtain a retratation of
the vete ea the 17th instant. What would
be said. what woad be thought and felt is Ire.
Led, 14 after the barrel of a week, when the
subject case to be r►heard. so attempt of the sort
Ipssaide, and setting dame but to plus apes the
roads of Parliameat a atzfrie of general phrases so

equivocal. and evasive of the point at but, that
the author of the hostas proceeding might with-
oat iocoodateacy OONIO forward asi its monader
What signify the protestations and podeatiallo
of some occult signal:use, some supposed tut-
menials to clerical ascendancy, on the part of
timid Liberals! The Catholics and Dissenters of
Ireland would naive all such empty assurances
with the bitter laugh of incredulity. They would say
For twenty years we have agreed to renounce the
exclusive teaching we should have preferred, aid
which our fellow-subjects in Ragland enjoy; we have
done so on the plighted faith of Parliament that the
rule of religious neutrality would be iallexibly ap-
plied to all; you—the Commode of Great Bri-
tain—have beard that rule denounced and formally
relaxed in favour of thi Church of the opulent
and privileged minority of the people, and you
have not ventured to grapple with that scanda-
lous injustice, you have not wiped out that gross and
wantoo affront to all IMO of %sal right, you hav e
cot redeemed your word.

Bat we will not believe that Ministers will fall into
an error so deplorable. They have an easy and ear.
•ain victory in their hands, if they will only do wkat
Lord Pnutzacrox on Thursday last declared was in-
dispensable and of pressing moment. Let them tread
oat the faggot that intolerance has kindled, and is
ready to fling blazing into the midst of an inflammable
but now tranquil community; let them take ears that
the brand be not merely covered up for the present
hour, to smoulder uneven, and eventually to cause the
destruction of national improvement and peace.