The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-14 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 14, 1867.

he objects on religious gro dr to any part of tie ieaffeee•
Con, his objection is to be
4. That any inspection of national abeam AA'Alt-
denominationaL

It will be seen at once why the Commissioners,
while claiming for Scotland the full advantage of
the aid supplied from the public treasury while
the present Privy Council system lasts, are not
prepared to foetid their proposals for the extension
of education in that country entirely upon it. The
Privy Council system professedly aids voluntary
local effort. It c:uutot guarantee an equally dif-
fused education. It grants aid where it is least re-
quired; it gives much to districts most competest to
provide themselves with schools, while those dis-
tricts which are least competent receive little or no
aid. Moreover, the managers of denominationst,
schools claim the right of excluding children
from all instruction, unless they are willing to ac-
cept the dogmatic teaching of the Church to which
the managers belong. The Commissioners pro-
nounce a very decided op on this last point.
They say :

It has been seen already that the parochial school par-
takes of the character which is common to all Presbyterian
schools, of being entirely undenominational as respects
the attendance of scholar. In this respect there never
has been in Scotland any material difficulty arising from
what is called the religious or conscience element. So
long ago as 1829 the Education Committee of the General
Assembly reported that " the teachers had been directed
" not to press on the Roman Catholic children any instruc-
" tion to which their parents or their priest might object,
" as interfering with the principles of their own religion."
In 1832 the same committee again recur to the subject, and
state that "by this toleration theme Protestant schools have
" been e • erywhere acceptable and attractive to the Catholic
" population." Moreover, in the case of all Presbyterian
schools established under the Committee of Council, the
feu-charters contain a conscience clause. By these means
security is given to parents that their children may absent
themselves at the time of religious instruction. Such at
present is the tolerant system pursued in all the Presby-
terian schools. In some of the Episcopalian schools, how-
ever, it is otherwise. According to Mr. Seller, the rule in
most of these schools is that the children should not be
compelled to learn the Church Catechism ; but in two of
them it was held to be incumbent, and in one attendance
at chapel was also deemed necessary. In this school,
which derives aid from the parliamentary grant,
and in which there were 92 on the roll, there were
only 19 Episcopalians. In the other school, out of 98
on the roll, only 33 were Episcopalians. The contrast
between the conduct of the managers of the various
denominational schools becomes more striking when
it is observed that while 2,623 Episcopalian and 7,000
Itoo3/0 Catholic children enjoy the benefit of the conscience
clause in Presby erian schools, there are 4,000 Presby-
terians in Episcopalian schools who enjoy no such protec-
tion. Such being the existing state of matters in some of
the denominational schools in this country which derive
aid from the Treasury, it seems impossible to reconcile the
omission of a conscience clause with the claims of justice.
We therefore think that no school ought to be entitled to any
public aid unless the parents of the children who attend the
school may claim the protection of a consrienre clause.

The most important part of the Commissioners'
recommendations relates to the advantages to be
offered to those denominational schools which shall
eminent to be so transformed as to become
national. The existing schools, it is acknow-
ledged, are all wanted. They represent an
immense amount of energy in the cause of
education, and large funds drawn from volun-
tary sources. They have buildings, masters,
and other appliances more or less efficient,
actively engaged in and adapted to the work of
teaching. To throw them away at once would be
extravagant ; it is proposed, therefore, to take'
them as they stand, and under their existing man-
agement, into the National system, subject them to
inspection and supervision, and admit them to
participation in the grants made by Government.
In order to accomplish this object some central
authority is indispensable, and it is, therefore,
proposed to constitute a Board of Education, four
members of which are to be chosen for three,
years by the Universities of St. Andrew's, Glas-
gow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, and four fur
the same term by the chief magistrates of
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen,
three to be chosen annually by the Commissioners
of Supply for the counties of Inverness, Perth,
and Ayr, and three permanent members to be
named in the Act of Parliament. The Board
will have to determine the number and character'
of schools required in each parish or burgh ; to
incorporate into the National system as many of
the existing schools as may be deemed requisite ;
to authorise and enforce the erection of such new
schools as may be required ; and to insist that all
school buildings shall be efficiently maintained and
the teaching be efficiently conducted. They
propose that National Schools—i.c., Parochial,
Adopted, or New schools—and no others, shall
share in the present parliamentary grant, and that
every National School shall be open to scholars of
all denominations. The Adopted schools, remain-
ing under denominational management, will be
entitled to claim their share in the parliamentary
grant, but not in any local rate raised for edu-
cational or other purposes, that being the price
which the managers and subscribers will pay for
retaining the management in their own hands.
These, omitting a number of working details,
are the leading recommendations of the
Commissioners. It is remarkable that they

should be presented with the authority of noble-
men and gentlemen representing a great variety
of political and religious opinion—of the Duke of
AROYLL, Lord DUNFERMLINE, Sir JAMEB FERGUS-
SON, Mr. MONCREIFF, Mr. MURE, Mr. MURRAY
DUNLOP, Mr. BLACK, and Dr. Joint BROWN. They
doubtless afford ample material for discussion, but
of whatever improvements they may be susceptible,
we believe the general opinion will be that the
plan they set forth is a great advance, whether
liberality or comprehensiveness be considered,
upon anything hitherto proposed in England with
so great a probability of being supported.

The Globe announces that Mr. Gladstone has
" joined the League," and predicts that he will soon be in
Hyde-park arm-in-arm with Bailee and Bradlaugh. Our
contemporary appears not to know the difference between
the National Reform League and the National Reform
Union—neither of which, however, can yet claim Mr.
Gladstone as a roeirber. The Globe asks whether it ought
to laugh or weep over Mr. Gladstone's address to the
Reform deputation on Saturday. We should unhesitatingly
say —weep.

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—The annual
meeting of this society was bald last evening in the
Weigh House Chapel, London-bridge, Mr. J. Spicer in the
chair. It appeared from the report, which was mul by
the Rev. A. Ilannay, the secretary, that in the Australia,
and New Zealand there were now about 2.50 churches,
almost all of which owed their existence to the indirect
influence or the direct aid of the society. During the 31
years of its existence the society had received and dis-
bursed only about 127,000 f., but this did not represent
the whole money power called into action ; for the polo-
ales, encouraged by the society's bounty, had eagerly
helped themselves. The churches in the Australia. were,
with few exceptions, supported from colonial resources,
and by the establishment of colleges and the organisation
of missionary societies they were laying hold of the future
in • spirit of independence not unworthy of their lineage.
The report furnished details of the work of the society in
the Australia,, New Zealand, South Africa, and the
British North American provinces. Reference also was
made to the death of the Rev. J. L. Poore, last March,
to whose enthusiasm, wise daring, and personal self.
' denial the success of the society's mission in Australia was
largely owing. The report having been adopted, ad-
d-rams were delivered by the Rev. R. Ashton, Rev. Dr.
Tanking, Rev. J. G. Rogers, Rev. W. Marshall, its.
PATENT OFFICE MINIUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON.—
Number of visitors for the week ending May 11, 1,084 ;
total number since the owe* of the Museum, fres daily
(May 12, 18611), 1,137,480. 1

• OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(PHIS Ditt.)

• -4'.

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE hiLla.
PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION.—(LAST NIGH' i
In ormunittee.—Ainsesinnent proposed, in page 2, lifeols,
after the word "January," to add the words "or (5) as a
lodger has occupied in the same borough separately and
an sole tenant for the twelve months preceding the last
day of July in any year lodgings being part of a dwelling
house, which lodgings would let unfurnished for ten
pounds a year, and has resided in such lodgings during
the six months immediately preceding the last day of
July, and has claimed to be registered as a voter at the
next ensuing registration of voters :"—(Mr.
Torreon :I—Amendment proposed to the said proposed
amendment, in line 6, to leave out the word "six," in
order to insert the word "twelve "—(Mr. Goidney)—
instead thereof.—Question put, "That the word ' six '
stand part of the proposed amendment:"—The com-
mittee divided; Ayes 145, noes 208.