The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-17 00:00:00

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The royal dinneriparty at Buckingham Palace on
Thursday, included Madame Marques Lisboa, wife of the
Brasilia* Minister, Mn. Bancroft, wife of the American
Minister, the Duke of Nor'olic, the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Exeter, the Earl and Countess of Dalhousie,
Vildnillt and Viscounten Palmerston, Lady Byron, Lord C.
Wellesley, Sir G. Cooper, and Mr. Hallam.
HAIL Prince Albert presided yesterday afternoon,
at a meetine of the Commission for Promoting and Encou-
raging the Fine Arts in the rebuilding the Panne of West-
minter. The meeting was held in the New Palace. Prince
Albert arrived shortly before 3 o'clock, attended by bin
'quer'? in waiting, the Hon. Captain Gordon. The
commissioners present were the Ear! of Aberdeen, Lord
Ashburton, Lord Colborne, Viscount Morpeth, Viscount
Walton, the Eight Hon. the Speaker, Sir Robert H. Inglis,
Kr. Hallam, Mr. S. Rogers, and Mr. Wyse. The secretary.
We. Eastlake, was in attendance. The meeting broke up at
quarter-past five o'clock. when Prince Albert took his de-
;enure, attended by the Hon. Captain Gordon.
Their RR.IIH. the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred,
the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice took airings yes-
terday, in the r gardens.
The Queer, honoured the performance of the French
plays with her presence yesterday evening. H.R.H. Prince
Albert honoured the performance in the Music-hall, Stare•
street, with his presence last evening. The Prince after-
wards joined her Majesty at the performance of the French

kR.TI. the Duke of Cambridge honoured with his
lasecoe, last evenine, the Sacred Harmonic Society's per-
ance of Dr. Mendelssohn's oratorio, " Elijah," at
Exeter Hall.

The Rev. Dr. Alder, general secretary of the
Weleyan Missionary Society, had an interview with Earl
Grey on Thursday, at the Colonial office. A. deputation
from the conference of dissenters had an interview with the
Led President of the Council and Lord John Russell, yes-
tadaY, at the Privy Council-office, respecting the mintes
of the committee of council for August and December, 1848.
Mr. Charles Rummell, M.P chairman of the Great Western
Railway Company, and Mr. Saunders, the secretary, had
In interview with the Right Hon. Edward Strait, yester
dap, at the office of the commissioners of railways, in
Great George-street. Mr. Martin V. ds Ponte had an
interview, yesterday, with Earl Grey at the ColoniaLoffice.
Sir John Pelly had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon
en Thursday at the office of the Board of Trade. General
Vale, had an interview with the noble earl yesterday.
'chap Griffiths bad an interview with Earl Grey yesterday.
Mr. Dillon Browne, M.P., had Ake an interview with his
Plies Mr. Ballantine and r; r. Cole of the Glasgow and
A Campany had an interview yesterday with the Right
E Strutt.
Pe/patches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
Office from the Governors o' the North American Provinces.
Despatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office for the Governors of tho Watt bibs Cob"
14", led also for the Governor of Gibraltar.

(From Gazelle.
lt night')
DOWNING-sTREET,aa AFRO.s IB.—The Queen has
appointed C. J. M'Carthy, Req. to ho Auditor and Ac-
countant-General and Controller Of Revenue for the Island
of Ceylon.

CROWN-OFFICE, APRIL 13.—Member returned to
servo in puliament—County of Somerset, Eastern Division.
W. Pinney, of Somerton Erleigh, in the room of
W. O. Langton, Esq. deceased.

WAR-OFFICE, Aran. 16.
7th L. Dragy.—Lleat..CoL Rua. C. A. Wrottmley, from h.p. Unatt.,
to be lieut.-eel., sloe J. J. Whyte, who exch.; Maior A. Shirley to be
lieut.-col. by mar., sloe Wrottesky, who ret.; Bre, Major G. P.
Bush° to be major by pur. ; Lieut. kir W. Russell, Bart to be eapt.,
by par.; Lieut.C. Bowles to be eapt„ by pur., vice who ret.;
Co.. A. kartoris to be lieut., by pur., vice Sir W. Russell ; Cor. W. D.
It he to be Hirst., by pur., vies Bowles ; E. Grogan to be cos., by
pur., vice Sartori,.
13th L. Dramt—R. W. Ilatfield to be our., by pur., Tice Dimsdale,
app. to 16 h L. Drags.
Derge.—Coe. T. R. C. Dlmadale, from 13th L. Drags., to be
toe., vim Fellows, who rm.
Ist Y.—Lieut. T. J. Parker to be sdjt, via Windham, wbo resigns
edit. ooly.
13th F.—Quartmax.-Serj. B. Marsh= to be quartmas., vice M.
Sheridan, who ret. upon h.-p.
2.lrd F.—CapL G. Wanes, from h.-p. 3rd W. I. Rest, to be cdPL,
shoe Baker, dee.; Lin t. W. P. Campbell to be rapt, by pur., vice
Warren, .ho ret. ; See. Lieut. L. A4lllllSig to be first lieut, by pur.;
R. Milford to be wee. lieut., by pur.
67th F.—Em. D. Thompson to be lieut., by pur., vim Adair, who
M H. L. Runt to be ens., by pm.
3rd W. I BrlFL—Quartutait.-Serl. R. Horsley to be quartman., vice
W. Wakefield, who ret. open 11.-p.
Beaver.—Capt. G. Warren, 23rd F., to be roajsr in the army;
Bev. M. G. Warren, 23rd F., to be lieut.-col. in the army.
Ili MORAN —The Melodies ewes of Ens. Whitlock, 4,h F., are
George Frederick Tod, sot George Frederick Foot.
Easir Outer., Mama 23.-11th F.—For 04.-Serj. G.
Palmer tube ems., vice King, app. 22nd F., read CoL-Geri. R. Pilmer•

THE CITY MEETING IN FAVOUR OF THE I
GOVERNMENT EDUCATION PLAN.
Yesterday morning a meeting of gentlemen favour-
able t. the governmeat proposal took place in the city, in the
large room of the London Tavern. The Right Hon. the
Lord Miyor presided, and was supported on the platform by
the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Llandaff, Mr. Sheriff
Kennard, Mr. S. J. Liyd, Mr. W. Cotton, Mr. J. lAl:sou-
chore, and a great number of clergy of the city and the sur-
rounding parishes. Every part of the spacious room was
crowded ; but the occasional interruptions showed that the
assembly was not wholly composed of the friends of the mea-
sure, though the dissentients were too insignificant to offer
any effective opposition to the resolutions.
The Loan MAYOR, in opening the proceedings, said he
had the greatest pleasure in acceding to the request of a
number of his fellow.citizens, by taking the chair on this
momentous occasion. It was agreed, on all hands, that edu-
cation in this country was lamentably deficient; and means
had consequently been taken by the government, in corn-
pliance with the express wish of the country at large, for ex-
tending education to the crest mass of our fellow subjects.
The want of education being admitted by every class of per-
sons, he had been greatly surprised at Eliding that an oppo-
sition had suddenly been got up to a measure which had
appeared formerly to be approved by all. (Hear,
hear.) He was at a lose to understand this, especially
as the opposition appeared to arise hem the die-
senters—a body of enlightened persons who generally
either took the lead, or ably followed up, every good work.
(Hear.) Why they had new altered their minds ho could
not comprehend, unless they thought the Established Church
would get a preponderance of patronage or influence. If
such was the case, it was a most unworthy jealousy on their
part. (Cheers, and " No, no.") He was glad to hear this
denied, fur it would be a serious reflection on the dissenters
to suppose them actuated by such a motive. (Hear.) He
cordially concurred in the views entertained by the govern-
ment, and thanked them personally for assisting all those
enlightened persons who were anxious to give education to
every class of her Majesty's subjects. He trusted that those
who dissented in some measure from the Church, would
cordially co-operate in assisting to carry out this great public
measure. (Hear.)
The Bishop of LONDON moved the first resolution—
That the ethelisi reports a inspectors or abools, and the infonna-
tka solkand bygoeletics and voluntary associations, save in showing
Me pest ills
elsrmtesy=r td i
which etitlLetiatA
thiscountry an the mom of
t, weal some pest public effort shall
be mode to Imes,* Me quality, as well as to increase the quantity of
gebnary instrealea. Mere wtU be little hope of any speedy and
'Mutual Insprespimast M the untaught maws of the populatka of
Great Batas.
He had felt it his duty to come forward and declare his
sentiments on a question of the moat vital importance to the
interests, not merely of the church, but of the country at
large (hear, hear)—to its dearest and most valuable in-
stitutions—to the continuance and improvement of
its social and moral character. The present was a
most important crisis in the social and moral fortunes of
this country. The question now at issue was neither more
nor less than this: whether or not a great attempt should be
made at that social and moral reformation of the people of
this country of which they stood so much in need; whether
the tide of religious and useful knowledge which had for
some years past flowed at an unsteady and faltering rate,
inadequate in its supply, not altogether such as could be
desired in its quality--should be now propelled with an in-
creased impulse, in a greater mass, and with a more pure
and salutary quality, to fertilise some dry and barren places
the land which have so long needed the wholesome in-
fluence of religious and useful instruction. (Hear, hear.)
The question was neither more nor less than this: whether
that tide should any longer be suffered to flow as it had
hitherto done, but should be augmented to a certain extant
by a stinted measure of aid from the public funds—whether
its volume should be augmented and its quality purified, or
whether, on the other hand, that tide should be rolled back
by the efforts of a few who thought it was taking a direction
which however advantageous for the best interests of the
country at large, would, to a certain extent, interfere with
their sectional interests and views ; and whether on that
account the tide, not merely of instruction but of civilise-
tion itself, should be rolled NA, or at least impeded, he
the nest 20 or 30 years? This was not a matter width
might safely be allowed to wait five or sic years ; the evil
which it was proposed to meet' was continually grow-
ing, and if not arrested it might soon overwhelm the efforts
of the country and paralyse all attempts made at its mitiga-
tion. (Hear.) Without entering into the religious part
of the question, he would contend that the social
and moral improvement of the country depended on
the extension of instruction amongst those who formed the
base of the great social pyramid. (Hear.) There was a
lamentable connexion between physical destitution and
moral depravity; the former must be removed before any
successful attempt could be made to obviate the moral evils,
the religions ignorance under which large mares of the
people laboured. (Hear.) But that was not a question for
present consideration ; the government had not overlooked
this important point. A very few statistics would suffice to
show the necessary connexion between ignorance and crime.
In 1840 and 1841, in 20 counties, having a population of
nine millions, there had bees convicted only 59 well-in-
structed persona ; the remaining 32 counties, with a popula-
tion of seven millions, did not furnish one convict who had
received more than the merest rudiments of instruction.
The county of Middlesex, with a population of 1,676,616, in
those two years, had not produced one educated convict,—
using the word educated in the proper sense of the term, and
not confining it to the mechanical arts of reading and
writing,—though instruction to that extent only was not
without its effect. In 1846, more than 1600 persons under
16 years of age, had passed through the House of Correction
in Coldhath-flelds; of those, 630 had been tried at the Mid-
dlesex snaking ; and it should be recollected that a child
could not be committed to prison without the most serious
moral injury. From September, 1843, to April, 1846,
2,030 young boys had been in custody for trial, being
an average of 66 per month ; end some had been
in custody nine or ten times. From 1836 to 1848,
a space of ten years, the number of persons charged with
offences in England and Wales had been 262,444; of these,
84,613 could neither read nor write; 137,383 could only
read, or read and write imperfectly • 22,169 meld read and
write well ; and only 1,6 N had received a sepsder education.
This proved that the very cheapest thing that maid be, done
was to educate the people. If all the Emory upended in
bulks and prisons had been mad Is oeseatiogilie people
when young. what a different aspect weld the emir, now
present! The unquestionable result ef these Beres was
that the amount of crime varied in an (mousse ram to the
extent of education in my district. (Hem.) In the
disturbances in the meanibelmeinsf asthieftM years ago,
it was ascertained that the meat of IsMira= and
violence was just is peeped= le the Amass et !Means
and moral Munition, and the eensesdem Where= *Do-
nne* and depravity mold met he desbeed ; aid We only
way to raise the condition of the people wee to extend
the means of imam:don. That theme mew were now defi-
cient, no one denied, though pospie *OA diver a thousand
or two to the numbers. It wee ..swiss* that from
800,000 to a million of the children 4 the froo.ft, or about
one-sixteenth of the whole powlsifen, was doelleate of the
means of instruction. This maim was set Ode* unedu-
cated ; if uneducated for good, they wise ewe to he edu-
cated for evil ; they were eagerly laid held OW the emiaea-
ries of evil, and assiduously trained up to the arts of dis-
honesty and vice. (Hear, hear.) Sorely, then, the duty
of the government to interims lOW mot be doubted. By
what means could government he this ? He meet, at the
risk of ensitinumpleesent thaw in the =hide of some
present, my lb Ma WM* al UM Mell=efforta of
churchmen sad disenten In the mass el It was
allowed, on all bads, that, to mar the pm* dt sahleots
for religious iupasskins, they mite( haw unisquas mass
previous training. The church had cow bees wowed of
indolent* and neglect • but it was a feet *het this SW public
schools in this country were church sr fie
proddel
schools of the city of London sad the asighbemiteedi esta-
blished needy 150 years ago by the &War the possestiog
Christian Knowledge. In their Nabob 6,11C0 aliases
were educated, and many of them aletied ;in 1750
there existed 1,600 mach Muds, educating about
180,000 children; and sem yew_ sherwerde Sunday
schools were established, chi* tinges du ingewnentality
of the Rev. Mr. Bailees, a eibunthelersgsenn, d Oksarttex.
Subsequently, the memos of Dell sad lastasia eppeered ;
and then the dicea bow be Who ea aetlve puffs popu-
lar education ; but aortably the March mast 'IOW the
credit of having been first la the field. (Hear.) Whet had
been since done ? The childela taught in the day mho& of
the National Society had heard es follows:—In 1813,
40,048 ; in 1833, 400,839; ha 1837, 694,911; in 1847, about
957,000. Against this sander, the number taught in the
dissenters' day schools, asfaruhe had been able to collect,
was 70,000. (Hear, bear.) What, thee, sum the govern.
ment to do ? How were they to deal wdl the arietiog state
of things? They well knew that the church woad accept
no plan of education in which the religious hatraction was
doled out, at intervals, and by different pour, and thu
enbordinated, as it were, to theme meth hapselmet waiter of
wykr inatmiation. (Heir.) chime
ww, in het,