The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-23 00:00:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Sir J. PAKINGTON said his Education Bill
was one of the adjourned orders which had already
been referred to ; and to-night had been fixed for its
further discussion. But he was anticipated by a notice
of motion for 'a debate on the motion before the
house ; and he could not refrain from saying that
this practice, which had become so frequent of late, was
a great abuse of the forms of the house, and one cause
of the great delay in public business which had
just been complained of ; and he could not help
hoping that the house would revert to a sounder prac-
tice. He wished to ask no favour of the noble lord at
the head of the Government. As an opponent he had iso
right to do so, and he begged to state therefore that the
question he was about to put to the noble lord
was based upon public considerations alone. It
was not conducive to the proper estate of the
public that bills of this nature should be left in the con-
dition in which they at present stood. Any person who
asserted that the present state of education was satisfac-
tory must be prepared to maintain that a large body of
official men, clergymen, and others were leagued together
in a conspiracy to mislead the country on this question.
(Hear, hear.) Sir John then referred to the three
bills introduced on the question, and submitted it
was necessary, if Government really was in earnest on
this question, to allow some progress to be made with
these bills, and the decision of Parliament ascertained,
that might result in one bill being compiled frOm them
for introduction in the next session of Parliament.
Mr. HADFIELD thought the speech of the right
hon. baronet might be considered the funeral sermon of
his bill. He considered the subject of educating the
people of England was too vast a question for him to
undertake to settle, and was of opinion that he had done
great mischief to the cause of education by the intro-
duction of his bill. He charged the right honourable
baronet with having misled the house with regard
to the state of education in this country, and con-
tended that placing the education of the people under the
inspection of Government ought not to be permitted.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the right hon. baronet oppo-
site was not in fault, nor did he think the Government
or the house were in fault, that the right hon. baronet's
bill had not been pressed forward, and a decision
come to on it, because there had been topics
of overwhelming interest brought before them. What-
ever the right hon. baronet might think of the
motion of the hon. member for Aylesbury, there could
be no question but it was one of very great interest to
the country. (Hear.) The right hon. baronet only
asked that his bill, and the other two bills now before
the house should pass their second readinos, in order
that they might he sent before a select committee. That
being the course he (Lord J. Russell) did not think the
right ho n. baronet could expect the Government to appoint
an early day for tge consideration of his bill, there being -
so many measures of pressing importance requiring the
attention of the house in order that they might be sent
in time to the upper house. At the same time, he
thought there might be a day found before the atten-
dance of hon. members was likely to be rather thin
when this question might be farther discussed. (Hear,
hear.) He thought it was important to hon.
mem-
bers who were in favour of the voluntary principle,
who had not yet taken part in this debate, that an op-
portunity should be given them to state their sentiments
and feelings on this question ; because they were, in
likewise fact, the most powerful opponents not only to the right
y
hon. baronet's bill, but others on this question. (Hear,)
The voluntary efforts of individuals had gained a
great
deal, but they were not sufficient for the edu-
cationeffectual the p:do
op
pl
te
e. d
1) 1 e
the was k
Board isoef otfheopcinoimonmitthteaet
measuresthe o
of Privy Council for Education had done much for edu-
cation, but they were unable to the
ignorance
completely remove
ignorance that pervaded a large •
(Hear.) portion of the people.
He thought the right hon. hart. had exagge-
rated this case, because he (Lord J. Russell) was far
from thinking that the voluntary efforts of individuals,
combined with the grants of money by that house for
the purposes 'of education, had produced no great
impression on the ignorance that formerly prevailed.
(Hear.) He likewise thought that the education now
given—pre-education—was of the most substantial and
valuable character ; but ho did not call that pre-educa-
tion which was given by the Government on certain
principles, and limited to certain branches of knowledge.
given by
kno7ledge.
On the contrary, he called that pre-education
parents to their children who attendedthe schools
the parents most approved of, and obtained
g the parents
teaching that hind of religious
wished. In that respect he considered the education of
this country superior to that of the continental nations.
(Hear, hear.)He was also of opinion that whilst they
pre served all that was valuable in their ednet4ion they
might extend it by adopting a system of rating. (Hear.)
On so important and grave a question he thought
it would be sufficient this year if the house came to a de-
cision on the principle, and in the following year
decide how that principle should be carried out.
After some discussion, the motion was agreed to.
BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.
Mr. STANLEY addressed the Speaker, and said
ho gave notice yesterday of certain questions which'