The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-22 00:00:00

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would be madeliy taking evidence on oath, or only by
I, voluntary evidence, as in the former inquiry ; also if
1 there was any objection to produce a copy of a letter,
1 written to the Under Secretary for War by Mr. Stanley
1
on the 16th or Intli day of May, informing him that the
evidence of Captain Fitzwygrarn was important, and
expressing a hope that no officer concerned would be or-
dered abroad, as he was informed was the case, with the
reply ?
Mr. PEEL said, there being nothing to implicate the
superior officers in the transactions referred to, no
ulterior proceedings were contemplated.
Mr. STANLEY gave notice that he would bring for-
ward the question again on the motion for the house
going into committee. (Hear, hear.)
THE HANGO MASSACRE.
COlonel HARCOURT asked, whether the Admiralty
had received any official intelligence that Lieutenant
Geneste, Dr. Easton, and Mr. Sullivan, of her Majesty's
ship Cossack, were still alive, and prisoners in Russia ?
Admiral BERKELEY said no further information
had reached the Admiralty on this subject than what
was contained in the 'despatches of Admiral Dundas
already published.
Colonel HARCOURT said be must beg permission of
the house to read a letter from the nearest relative of
Lieutenant Geneste on this transaction. The hon. and
gallant member then read the letter, which requested
him to ask the Government whether the authorities in
the fleet had demanded the bodies of those who were so
cruelly massacred at Hango, in order that they might
not be left to the brutality of their savage murderers ?
Admiral BERKELEY repeated his former answer.
He believed, however, no such claim had been made.
He should take that opportunity to remark that he was
one of those who had been a long time in office. He could
bear the attacks that public men were open to ; but he
could not pass over id silence a statement in the Daily
News the day before yesterday, which in the most cruel
and cold-blooded manner pointed to himself as almost
the cause of that deplorable affair, and the statement
went to say that the writer hoped when the friends and
relations of the deceased met the gallant admiral they
would treat him according to his merits. (Hear, hear.)
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS IN PRISONS.
Mr. KINNAIRD rose to ask the Secretary for the
Home Department whether he had any objection to
produce the recent correspondence respecting the arrange-
ments for the religious instruction given by the Roman
Catholic chaplains in the prisons of Pentonvil:e and
Brixton ?
Sir G. GREY said he had no objection to produce
the correspondence in question.
In reply to Mr. SPOOSER, '
Sir G. GREY stated he was not aware of any chap-
lains to those prisons being paid except the chaplains
belonging to the Established Church.
THE STATE OF PUBLIC BUSINESS.
Mr. DISRAELI asked the noble lord at the head of
the Government whether he had any objection, on Mon-
day next, to state te the hotiSe the course he intended
to pursue with regard to the public-business? He found
at the present moment there were no less than 79 orders
of the day upon the paper ; and he thought, therefore,
it would be very convenient, to the house if the
' noble lord could on Monday at least shadow
' forth the course he intended to pursue at this advanced
period of the session. (A laugh.)
Lord PALMERSTON replied that he could almost
answer the question now. Thera were many measures
; which he should think it his duty to press to a conclu-
sion ; hut there were others which he did not care any.
thing about. (Laughter.)
Mr. HADFIELD said he had given notice of his
intention to call the attention of the Government to the
state of public business, but the right hon. gentleman op.
posite had anticipated him. It was most important under
the circumstances to ascertain what course the Govern-
ment intended to pursue. He wished, therefore, to ask
the noble lord at the head of the Government whether
he would take into consideration such business as there
was not the slightest chance of disposing of this session,
and thereby reduce the orders to some reasonable dimen-
sions, as the session was so near its ordinary period of
termination ?
MR. LAYARD AND COLONEL DA.CRES.
On the motion that the house at its rising adjourn
until Monday,
Sir DE LACY EVANS said he rose for the
purpose of making some explanations relative to a
few remarks which had fallen from the hon. member
for Aylesbury, in the course of the debate last
week, and which expressions hai reference to a gallant
officer of the artillery, now in the Crimea. The hon.
member had doubtless no intention of reflecting in any
way upon that officer, but what be had said had led to
an inference of that kind. (Hear, hear.) He (Sir
De Lacy Evans) might therefore take the oppor•
tunity of saying that when in the East he had
felt it to be his duty to report that gallant officer
to the Commander-in-Chief for his distinguished services
in three successive actions, and also after his return
home to England he had laid before'the Commanderin-
Chief his opinion of those.officers who had particularly,
distinguished themselves under his particular observa-
tion, and with regard to Colonel Dacres, he had stated
that in his opinion that officer was the most able:ener-
getic, and popular officer in that arm of the British
Forces. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LAYARD took the opportunity of removing any
impression of the kind alluded to which his words might
have created, and also offered a few words of explanation
as to what he had stated, and the a ithority upon which
his anecdote was based,
NATIONAL EDUCATION.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said his Education Bill
was one of the adjourned orders which had already
.been referred to ; and to-night bad been fired 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 refrait 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
jest 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 hal no
right to do so, and he begged to state therefore that the
question he was about to pat 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 ba left in the con-
dition in which whey 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 Cow some progress to be made with
these bills, and tale decision of Parliament ascertained,
that might remit in one bill being compiled from them
for introd:ettion in the next session of Parliament.
Mre -HADFIELD thought the speech of the right
hon,- baronet might be considered the funeral sermon of
liis bill. He considered the subject of educating the
people of England was too vast a question for him to
undertake to settle, and wits of opinion that he had done
great mischief to the called 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 decisibn
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
he no question but it was one of very great interest to
the country. (Hear.) The right lion, baronet only
asked that his bill, aid the °tiler two bills now before
the house should pass their second readings, in order
that they might be sent before a select committee. That
being the course he (Lord J. Russell) did not think the
right hon. baronet could expect the Government to appoint
an early day for the 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 four d before the atten-
dance of hon. members was lately to be rather thin
when this question might be further 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
fact, the most.powerful opponents not only to the right
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 effectual edu-
cation of the people. He wa, likewise of opinion that
the measures adopts i by the Beard of the Committee
of Privy Council for E incetion hail done much for edu-
cation, but they were unable to completely remove the
ignbrance that pervaded a large portion of the people.
(Hear.) He thought the tight hon. barn, bad 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, hod produced no great
impression on the ignorance that formerly prevailed.
(Hear.) He likewise thought that the education now
gi sen—pre•education—was of the most substantial and
valuable character ; hut he did not call that pre-educa-
tion.which vino given by the Government on certain
principles, and limited to certain branches of knowledee.
On the contrary, he celled that pre-education given by
parents to their children who attended the soh eols
the parents most approved of, and obtained
that kind of religious teachiug the parents
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 while; they
preserved ail that was valuable in their education 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 fallowing year
decide how that principle should be carried out.
After some discussion, the motion was agreed to.
THE SICK AND' WOUNDED FROM THE
CRIIiIEA.
Mr. STAFFORD rose to call the attention of the
house to the arrangements made for payment of the
returnedmen
from the Crimea. It was said that the reason
certain documents necessa
necessary beforehandnotbeenwpearied nwoatsfotrhtalit-,
coming. Surely, this was 'notthe fault o the men ; and
he hoped that eolne member of the Government would
give him some assurance thee, this state of things should