The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-30 00:00:00

the intentions of the bill; but It is as much a matter of
Conscience with them to reject the expressed condition u
with this association to insist upon its effectual observance.
There lemained, then, no other course than to accept them
' on the terms already made with-them by the committee of
Privy Council, and to place them and all others answering
the description contained in the minutes upon precisely the
same footing in this respect. This has been done; and
although the Roman Catholics complain that an undue pre-
ference has been given t.. the use of the authorised version,
the committee feel confident that no real injustice will be
sustained by the Roman catholic schools under this bill,
; and they are fully convinced that no one of their schools
will be excluded ruder the terms now adopted against
which there does nut exist some valid objection entirety
independent of the particular clause conferring the claim
to admission. Having, ascertained the character of
the existing schools to be admitted into the union.
we now proceed to the second point—viz., the provi-
sion in the bill for the supply of school-room where
it may be found defective. From the large extent of
sehoofroom already existing within the two boroughs,
which has been estimated as capable of containing nearly
the whole juvenile population within the school age (i. e.
' between 4 and It), it might seem superfluous to discuss or
provide for this event at present, as it is all but impossible to
suppose that the whole number could ever be assembled at
one time for the purpose of instruction. But though we
may rely with great confidence on the readiness with which
any deficiency would be supplied by rival exertions of the
different religious bodies, esp.:chilly when they shall have
been relieved from the burthen of giving constant support to
. those schools which they have already 'minded, it is clear that
i a bill which should leave to a mere contingency the pros colon
of the school-room required for successful operation would be
, exposed to a serious and probably fatal operation on account
of so glaring an oruiesion. In fact the framers of the bill
felt bound to show the means of providing positively fur 1
such contingency, before they could ask their fellow-towns-
men
to entrust them with the conduct of a measure proposing
to levy a late upon all property within the two boroughs.
This rart of the bill may therefore be viewed ILA an indw
pensable provi Son against an emergency which may never
occur. It is proposed that wherever school-room shall be
found insufficient for the wants of the inhabitants, after
' ample notice shall have been given, the municipal council
shall be empowered to apply 'the money of the rate-payers
for that purpose, so as to insure to each district au adequate
supply of school accommodation. In all schools built
out of the rates the same stipulation as to the
use of the holy scriptures as that already de- I
scribed is to be enforced ; but as they will be
entirely disconnected from any religious body, con-
gregation, or sect, it is expressly declared that nu creed,
catechism' or distinctive religious formulary, shall be taught
therein. It would occupy too much tame' and be some-
what beside our present !impose, to deal with all
the objections that have been urged to this part of the bill.
thus much, however, seemed necessary to clear it from
misapprehension. These rate-built schools are proposed as
an ultimate resource in case of deficiency ; and though a
necessary consequence, by no mean• constitute the main
object of the provisions of the bill. It will perhaps be eke
mud convenient course to divide our remaining observa-
tions upon the bill into separate portions, as it relates to the
different parties concerned in its operation, either as rate-
payers, teachers, or pupils. It is clear that every person
interested in the matter must came under one of these
descriptions, if we suppose the term "teachers" to include
the proprietor or managers, and "pupils" to include the
children who are the recipient. of the education
offered, and theieparents, by whose consent and directions
they would be suojccie‘i to the cause of instruction
and discipline of any particular school. First, then, with
regard to the ratepayer. From what has been already said
it will be unnecessary to enter upon that part of the ques-
tion which concerns merely his pecuniary interest in the
matter. Although there are strong reasons for believing
that even in this point of view he may find himself a con-
siderable gainer, this is not the place for discussing that
point, which involves no principle, and therefore presents
no difficulty. We are now to deal with conscientious objec-
tions only, and the objection that may be made is nut one
of amount, but of isiyment at all. And here we touch at
once upon the stronghold of the advocates of the voluntary
system, who protest against a payment fur the propagation
of error, or that which they hold to be such. Let us see
what are the securities which the bill has taken un his behalf,
against any improper application of his money,auil how far his
contribution to the intuition object is open to the imputa-
tion of being a violation of his conscience. By thu pro-
posed measure, the raining, control, and administration of
the funds presided by the rate will be placed entirely in
the hands of the municipal council, actiug through a com-
mittee of their own body, designated as the " Ifistrict
School Committee," who will be authorised and required
to pay over to each school admitted into the School Union
(as above described) a sum proportionate to the number
of scholars actually receiving education therein, so that
no money at all will be paid except in direct return for
services rendered to the community. The selection of
the school being the voluntary act of the child or its
parents, the ratepayer is empowered by his representatives
in the district school committee to ascertain the facts of
appbcation, his admission, and his weekly attendance.,
in accordance with strict regulations contained in the bill.
Thus an effectual safeguard is provided against any im-
proper application of the money ; and with regard to the
allegation that the tax is levied for the propagation of error,
it is difficult to perceive any distinction between this pay-
ment, where no violence is offered to the conscience of
either the teacher or the pupil, and any other compulsory
or even voluntary payment made for the direct benefit of
persons of a different religious persuasion from our owu.
Susely, to any religious mind, there is less differ-
ence between any two modes of belief founded upon
the Holy Scriptures, which are taken as the common
basis of all, than there is between any one of them and no
religion at all. Christianity and infidelity are more widely
opposed than any two forms of Christianity. And yet, in
so far u our contributions are contented, this is the alter-
native we are invited to accept ; fur it is in vain to allege
that it is not intended that the pupils shall be educated
without religion, while no specific provision is made fur it.,
inculcation. Society itself requires that the people
should be educated, and demands a contribution for
this as a common object essential to the peace, order, and
welfare of the community, proposing that each shall be
left in the enjoyment of his perfect liberty of conscience
in the selection of his own religious opinions. Are we,
as citizens, entitled to reply that we will not consent to
contribute our quota unless with a stipulation that it shall
be applied to the inculcation of those opinions which we
ourselves hold, and thus to exercise a direct influence and
constraint upon the consciences of those who are to receive
or to impart the education for which our money is pail; ?
Surely the hardship in this ease would be much greater.
and a power would be allowed to a mere money payment
far more objectionable than any argument could justify.
On this subject let us briefly advert to the provisions. First,
there is the clause by which free educationissecured to every
child in any school which shall be selected by himself or his
parents, thus rendering the attendance upon the religious
teaching of any school as entirely a voluntary act as it is now.
Next, there is ample security fur the proper qualification of
the muter, and for the observance of all the conditions of ad-
minion to the rate prescribed by the bill, so that any attempt to
alien from the usual and stipulated course in this particular
would be visited with immediate exclusion of the school
from the benefits of the rate ;—a penalty sufficient to gua•
rantee the most scrupulous regard to the terms of admis-
sion. Besides these, there is a clause by which any child
may be exempted from the necessity of learning a religious
creed opposed to his own or his parents' convictions, by a
formal notice given fur that purpose. This provision has
been deemed essential, both to relieve the inculcution of
religious faith from all imputation of constraint upon the
mind of the pupil, and to place all schools admitted to a
share in the rate upon the game footing, in respect of their
claims to instil the creed of their own faith into the pupils.
Having once embarked in this enterprise, and having met
with general concurrence and approbation far beyond the
expectations which could have been entertained in its
earlier stages, we are bound to use our utmost exertions that
the cause to which we stand pledged shall not suffer in our
hands. In ease of our failure to carry this measure, sane.
Coned as it has been by a unanimity of assent which could
hardly be credited, even after the fact was apparent,
wo should afford just cause fur our opponents to
assert that any public "53 stem for combining religious with
secular instruction was indeed impossible ;"—that 'sepa-
rated the two must be ;* and by any want of zeal or con-
cord amongst ourselves, we should in all probability contri-
bute far more to the success of the ' secular' plan than if
we had every one of us openly joined its ranks from the
commencement. But I again repeat, that a defeat on the
mere money question is for us no defeat at all. We have
only to persevere in a steady maintenance of our principles
of union, and I am firmly convinced that at no distant day
the direct advantage, u well u the moral obligation, of
providing education for all will be admitted, and Manches-
ter will have the credit of having taken the lead in volun-
tary submission to taxation for a great and noble object, and ,
in relieving the nation itself from the stigma which attaches
to the long-continued neglect of the moral welfare of the
masses of her population."
The Dean of MANCHESTER then rose, and said—As
no gentleman in this meeting seems disposed to ask ques-
tions
with a view to elucidate the subject that has new been
presented to us for consideration, I will, with your permis-
sion, venture to ask of this meeting that they will acknow-
' ledge the service of Mr. Entwiale—(hear)—end respectfully
thank him for the great attention he has given to this sub-
ject, and that they will request a continuance of his valuable ,
I services until this measure shall he brought to entire com-
pletion. I dare not in Mr. Entwisle's presence say all that !
I myself and the members of the committee think of his
services. But I will be thus bold to state that it is
utterly impossible for any person to have devoted more at- I
tention than he has done to the object we have had in I
view. (Hear, hear.) The great skill that he has exhibited,
the important information that he has brought to bear on
this question, entitle him to our most warm acknowledg-
ments. They have done more than that: they have obliged
us to go with him because we arc sure that under his
`guidance we shall be entirely successful. (Applause.) I
will say also of every member of the committee with whom
I have been associa.ed that it is utterly impossible to con-
! ceive more unanimity of feeling, even when there has been
difference of opinion. I have been told repeatedly that I have
I been acting rather against church principles in acting in
support of a scheme of this kind. I deny it entirely.
I(Hem, hear.) I believe that we are actually supporting
church principles. (Hear, hear.) We are supporting them
in the best and most effective manner. (Hear, hear.) We
are educating the people for the purpose of enabling them
to investigate truth, and if church principles be not truth,
I can have nothing to do with them. (Hear.) It has been
said, also, that by this plan we are not only going against