The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-21 00:00:00

correspondent of the Times, who says in continuation, " Let I
the poor i cople get work of some kind ; 1,900/. worth of
labour thrown among them will be a greater boon than
charity, and remunerate all parties. I feel deeply the
wretchel state of my poor fellow-countrymen, for they are
not responsible for their own wretchedness; the system that
prevails of letting the land is the abiding curse of the
islands." Another correspondent states, that "not only is
there in the Shetland Islands a great low in the potato crop,
but in some districts a great want in the oats. This 'unfor-
tunate lees is increased by the quantity of cattle that died
last winter, and from the present disease in potatoes, a re-
duction in the price of our ling and herring, which is nearly
Our only produce."
Tor. EDrrATION SCHEMR OF THR CHrRCR OF SCOTLAND
is thus officially stated: "The peculiar aim of the Assembly's
scheme is this—to supply deficiencies in the national provi-
sion for parochial education, and thus :—A pariah increases
in its population, aid one parochial teacher cannot possibly
serve the purpose of his appointment. There must he sup-
plemental schools set down in that narish. A parish is of
very large extent—as in the Highlands and Islands. There
must be supplemental schools in that parish. Who is to pro-
vide the means of education there ? Often, in the ireagerness
to get instruction for their families, the poor Highlanders, in
their remote glens, have put together their scanty savini,s to
maintain among their hamlets a stripling teacher, who spends
the winter months in the care of their children. But this
arrangement is quite inadequate—is only partiatly effi-
cient—and is always temporary and precarious. Addi-
tional, and a very different sort of provision is needed. And
the church endeavours to supply it. Through the help of
her attached people she has already supplied it. And
were the help to keep pace with the demands which,
month after month, arc made on her for more schools,
how widely could she now extend the blessings of such a
provision. The schools already erected by her are chiefly
in the Highlands and Islands, where, owing to local and
natural impediments, the wants are so great. There are
about Its 7 schools at present on the Assembly's scheme.
Upholding these for another year is now suspended
on the resu't of the ensuing collection. But, be-
sides, an increase to their number is urgently re-
quired. Such are the demands for an increase of
them; so numerous are the petitions for new schools
now lying before the committee, that, had they the
means of &ingest, their resolution of next meeting might at
once bring up their numbets far beyond two hundred.
They 110 N carry on the education of more than fifteen thou-
sand youth in their schools. Had they the means, they
could soon report their twenty thousand. It is but a very
small sum which the instructing of a single scholar costs
during one year. Will not this he a high gratification fur a
contributor at the church-door to go home With the thought,
I have this day given what may be enough for educating
in useful and religious knowledge the soul of a fellow-crea-
ture tiil next collection time ?" In truth, the Church's
Education Scheme, with her schools, and her two Normal
Institutions at E'linburgh and Glasgow for qualifying
teachers how to teach, is a scheme, the supporting of which
is the promoting of substantial and enduring good."
OPP.HINO or rue. Pouts.—The workers in the weaving
factory of Messrs. Robert Gourley and Co , Corbels, Glas-
gow, have sent a memorial to her Majesty's ministers to open
the ports for the adMssion of grain and every article of pro-
visions free from duty. Other workshnpa and factorb s in
the neighbourhood are about to follow the example. A me-
morial has also been agreed to by the op rativc cotton spin-
ners of Johnstone, praying her 'Majesty to use her influence
for abolishing the duty on the importation of foreign food.
The slocum, nt is of consider& le length, and argues the ne-
cessity of the measure strongly, on account of the depressed
condition of the operative classes, caused by the present high
price of provisions.