The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-07 00:00:00

SLIGO ELECTION.

The nomination of a burgess to represent the
borough of Sligo in parliament, in the room of Mr.
Charles Towneley, unseated by petition, took place
yesterday in the court-house of that town, amidst a
scene of uproar and violence which has been scarcely
ever paralleled by any similar proceeding even in
Ireland. The following outline is supplied by the
special correspondent of Saunderis News Letter:
The writ for the election having been read, Mr. Andrew
Kelly, mtrchant, proposed Mr. John P. Somers as a fit and
proper person to represent the borough of Sligo in parlia-
ment; and Mr. M'Ternan, solicitor, after considerable
difficulty in obtaining a hearing, briefly seconded the nomi-
nation.
The Rev. Dr. Phillips, P.P., then proposed Mr. J. Sad-
leir as a fit and proper representative for that borough.
Mr. Kidd seconded the nomination of Mr. Saelleir.
Mr. John Manly was then put in nomination, his pro-
poser being Mr. W. Gilmore, and his seconder Mr. Robert
Henderson.
The following gentlemen were also put in nomination,
but subsequently withdrew:—Messrs. Stonar, John Gore
Jones, Rev. Peter O'Connor, P.P., and John MtNainara
Cantwell.
Dining the continuance of the proceedings the violence
and tumult of the mob grew to such a pitch that the Mayor
had to order the Court-hoase to be cleared, which was ac-
cordingly done, several gentlemen having been previously
struck with stoney, when some men with loaded fire arms
and other dangerous weapons in their possession were
captured. Order having been in some degree restored, '
The Mayor stated that ho had called for a show of hands
—which, however, passed unnoticed to a great degree, in
consequence of the great confusion prevailing at the time—
which he declared to be is favour of Mr. John Sodleir.
A poll was demanded on behalf of Mr. Somers and of
Mr. lianly.
During the above fracas the Rev. Mr. O'Connor was
given the lie and struck on the back of the head by Mr.
Manly, who was in turn struck and severely handled by
other Roman catholic clergymen and the constabulary.
This, of course, gave rise to a succession of combats, and
the hustings soon presented the appearance of • scene of
strife. Ile police were obliged to have recourse to pushing
she combatants asunder with the butt ends of their guns,
and the affair ended with Mr. Hanly and the Rev. Mr.
O'Connor being removed from off the hustings. The town
itself, up to the hour of nomination, although crowded, was
exceedingly quiet, which, however, was not the case on the
previous evening, when large mobs, apparently well orga-
nised, and evidently semi-intoxicated, paraded the streets
of the town, and, it is worthy of remark, shared their
cheers for the Junior Lord of the Treasury with his opponent
in polities, Mr. John Manly. Any person suspected of being
a partisan, or even friendly to Mr. Somers, was hooted
and spat upon, and in some instances actually assaulted.
Speeches were made from the windows of Mr. Sadleir's and
Mr. Hanly's committee-rooms, but vain were the attempts
of those in the interest of Mr. Somers to obtain a hearing.
The streets up to a very late hour on the night in question
(Monday) presented an exceedingly alarming appearance,
and were it not for the presence in the town of a body of 300
constabulary, together with • company of the 26th Refit.,
and a detachment of the 3rd Dragoons, serious rioting
would doubtless have taken place. Even as it is, the
summary ejection of the sovereign people from the court-
house has given great offence, and it is feared bad results
will follow. The closeness of the coming struggle likewise
keeps up the unwonted degree of excitement, for all admit
that the majority for either can lisiate must be very trifling,
although both sides appear confident of success. The total
number of registered voters amounts to nearly 350, but of
these it is calculated 47, recording to some, GO, will not
come to the pull, being either dead or absent, so that who-
ever polls 160 is sure to win the election.

TRALEE ELECTION.
The nomination at this election took place on Mon-
day, when the result may be considered as having
virtually been determined. Mr. Daniel O'Connell,
Mr. Denis Shine Lawlor, Mr. John Leahy, and Mr.
T. Fitzgerald, were severally proposed and seconded;
but as Messrs. Lawlor and Leahy subsequently with-
drew from the contest, and bat very few votes can
be polled by any chance for Mr. Fitzgerald, the °lee-
.tion of Mr. O'Connell may be looked upon as certain.
The polling, if indeed there be any, will take place

ABUSES 01? ENDOWED SCHOOLS, WEST-
MINSTER.

TO THE EDITOR or THE EXPRESS.
SlR,—The House of Lords Committee, in their new
education plan, propose to exempt the collegiate and
cathedral schools from its powers. This, to say the
least, is very singular, as it is notorious that there
are no cases of educational endowments throughout
the kingdom which call for reformation more than
these. It might as well be provided for by law that
no improvement in medical practice should be suffered
in the metropolis, or that the quackery of ancient
times and its impositions should be held sacred, as
that the mental food so munificently provided for
poor children by our forefathers sho.uld be locked up
from the growing appetite of our educationally un-
fed people by act of parliament exemption.
Westminster school is of very ancient date. The
evidence as to the state of this school in laid cum-

menees at page 150 of the sce..nd report of the sheet
committee appointed to inquire into the education of
the lower orders of the metropolis. The Rev. John
Bas ett Campbell stated that there were 10 founda-
tion boys and about 260 pi irate scholars ; that the
40 foundation boys were drafted from the private
scholars, and thenbecame halt-bearders ; that is

their parents paid half their expenses after
being placed on the foundation; that they had
a gown, cap, and college waistcoat ; that
the foundation gown being • very coarse, they
paid fur a better quality; that they paid
farther education, 13 guineas the first year (the
same as the plicate scholars), 10 guineas the next
two years, and 8 guineas the last year; that foar of
the boys were sent every year to Christ Church,
Oxford, and four to Trinity College, Cambridge, the
former as students, the latter as scholars; that the

studentships were worth about 60/. each per annum ;
but thnt the examinations for scholarships were mere

mattera of form.

Ith regard to the total expense of the school to
the Dean and Chapter, it was estimated as not
exceeding 1,200/., out of which the two schoolmasters
received but 541. be. Bd. from the dean and chapter,

and lived rent free.

The Head Master stated that, in addition to •he
foundation and private scholars, there were four
bishop's boys nominated by the dean and himself,
that they were educated gratuitously, and had a
purple gown and an annual stipend of six or seven
pounds; and that the fund to provide them there-
with arose from the rents of an estate bequeathed for
that purpose by Williams, Bishop of Lincoln.
The above, therefore, was the state of the school
in 1816.

Westminster was created a see by Henry V 111.%
but it was restored to an abbey by Edward VI., in
1550 t, and subsequently, in 1560, converted to a
deanery' collegiate by Queen Elizabeth.: The sum
allowed by the statutee as a stipend for each of the
foundation boys was nearly half a prebendary's, the
latter being 201., and the former 8/. 6s. ad.
At page 32 in Tanner's Not. Mon. it. is stated that
in abbeys like Westminster, " one person or more
was appointed (as teachers of learning and educa-
tion) ; and that all the neighbours who desired it
might have their children taught without any ex-
pense to them."
Indeed, it appears from the archives of West-
minster Abbey, that asalary was paid by the almoner
to a master for the teaching of the grammar boys
even in the reign of Edward 111. ; andFitz-Stephen
(Becket's secretary) states " that the three chief
churches of London had noted schools attached to
them." (Widmore, p. 131.)
There can be no doubt that the boys ought to have
their stipend increased in proportion to the increase
of the total revenues of the Abbey-in the founds,
lion tables of Henry \ 111. the total receipts of
Westminster were 2,619/. 16.. Old. ' • and in the
Lansdowne manuscript in the British Museum, No.
683, the dean's income there is put down at 231/.
The question then arises what is the present total
revenue? and what amount ought the buys receive
now, seeing that when the dean received 231/. they
received 81. 6s. Bd. each? I wish to show that the i
boys ought not to cost their parents anything ; and
this would be the case if the original proportions of
the distribution of the revenue were observed.
The statutes of Westminster were ordained by
Queen Elizabeth. Therein the scholars are ordered
to have 31. Os. 10d. for yearly commons and 13s. 4d.
for livery, and that in their election regard
was to be had to " a teachable understanding,
a good disposition, learning, merit, and poverty
-and they were to dine in the common hall.
Yet it is said that the 40 Queen's scholars are not
provided with board and lodging out of the Chapter
funds, although the expenses to which their parents
and guardians are liable are enormous. It appears
to me that they are not charged with board and
lodging in words, but that they are charged for
both in deed-just as the men in the street
say, " I will give you the book if you buy my
straw for a penny.' It appears from two letters
published in the Times on Jan. 28, and Feb. 11,
1850, signed "Spectacle Maker," that there were
two boys in the school over whom he was guardian,
and he thought properly enough that the charges
would be nil, but he found that he would have to
pay about 42/. per annum for each of these boys.
He furnished the paper with a table of the fees thus :
school fees (what for ?), 6941. ; matron, 1681. ; ser-
vants, 1681. ; washing, 210/. ; fires, 1031. ; lights,
105/.; physician, 42/. ; charge in aid of new build-
ings, 2001. • total, 1,692/. Now, in the scheme of
Henry VIII., the schoolmaster, butlers, servants, aad I
building repairs are all separately and specifically
provided for, and the scheme is herein confirmed by
the statutes of Elizabeth. At that period the pre-
bend's share was 28/. 55., now it is 1,2141. 14s. 9d.§
At that period the two schoolmasters' share was
30/., and had that sum been increased in due propor-
tion with the increase of the total revenues of the
Abbey, doubtless the scholars would never have
been called upon to pay 694/. for school fees ; and
further, were these statutes observed, the matron
and servants would not have been now charged to
the boys, because in cap. 8 of Elizabeth's statutes,
it is ordered, " Ut stadia 9nietiora sint ntcessariis
minims fantuli inserviant and it was provided that
there was to be a steward to buy provisions, and
another to buy corn, victuals, fuel, &c.; also three,
butlers, one of whom was to attend especially to the
forty foundation boys, who was to see that there was
to be no lack of bread and beer. There were also cooks,
an under-cook and barber, provided for-also three
washing women of approved character, one of whom
shall wash all the linen clothes of the forty scho-
lars week by week"-aad the repairs were very
amply provided for by the 200/. per annum. It is
therefore clear that, as the royal foundress ordered
that the boys should be free of all charge, that all
these charges should be abolished ; and 1 would ap-
peal to the Dean and one of the Canons of Rochester,
who were foundation boys at Westminster, and were
sent thence to Trinity College, Cambridge, as founda-
tioners, whether it was just to charge them with
the above things, which had been provided for out of
the general fund by the foundress ; but, perhspe, had
poor boys been the only foundationers, these two
gentlemen would never have been sent from West-
minster to Trinity, and thence have climbed to
Rochester ; and, were poor boys admitted and pro-
vichal for out of the abbey funds, doubtless the pre-
sent dean would not be in the receipt of 2,0001. per
lannum.
To give a still clearer notion of the true state of the
case, I must show the gross amount of the foundation
income originally and in 1843. In 1542 it wns 2,601/. ;
in 1843 it was 30,1451. And also the sams expended
on the school at two periods -originallt and in 1834.
In 1342 the school had 1921.; in IS3I the school had
1,397/. 6s. Id. Now, by the simple rule of three, the
school ought to have at present about 2,225/, and
this would exceed the present total cost of the
tuition, board, lodging, &c., of the 40 boas; so that
really the intention of the foundrees could be carried
out thereby in all its integrity-viz., that the 40
boys should be free of all charge-whilst the fact is,
that these boys, instead of having cne•ninth of the
Abbey revenues, as originally, have but one one-fifty-
fifth devoted to their bent& (ride Lambeth MS., 636,
and Eccl. Cora. Rep.) How these things agree with
the prayer for a blessing "on all seminaries of sound
learning and religions education," I cannot compre-
hend, nor do I suppose it will be cleared up until
the question is put preparatory to that final " strict
and solemn account which we must all one day
give before the judgment-seat;' but nevertheless
the presence of the 10 boys on the Sabbath (who
pay 1,692/. per annum; mus' he rather a reproaf to
• Burnet i.. 3 p. 483, Collect. No. 23.
t sth of Edw. VI , c. 36.
Strype'% Parker, c. 3, p. 79.
§ Ynle Table 7, 2nd Report Bal. Cam.