The National Register.
London, England, 1821-02-04 00:00:00

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shall have the power to call before him the person
chosen and reported to him by the senior church or •
chapel warder. as aforesaid, and to examine him
touching his fitness for the place of school-master,
and shall net approve of him for such master, unless
he be satisfied that be is a member of the Church of
England as by law established: provided also, that
that it shall and may be lawful for the meeting of .
householders assembled as aforesaid, to choose, and
•
for the resident officiating minister to approve as
schoolmaster under this act, the clerk of the parish
or chapelry within which the school is situated, for . .
which a master is wanted, or the parish or chapel or
clerk of any of the other parishes or chapels with
which such school is joined, under the provision of •
this act."
Against the principle involved in this clause every
dissenter from the church establishment has a right
most solemnly to protest.
The dissenters therefore earnestly object to, and
protest against, the
I. Because they are convinced that, by discoe
the exertions of the public--by impeding the progress
every plan for prpmotiug education now in active epee •
ration—by neglecting to call forth the energies of the
poor--and by omitting the use of those means which are
absolutely necessary to ensure the instruction of the moat,
indigent classes—this bill will not only fell to realise the
hopes it bolds forth, but will retard the very object for
which it is enacted.
2. Because-, by imposing a tax for the support of the
schools to be established, it will prove practically op-
pressive to those who desire to promote universal in-
struction, as they must maintain other schools for children •
whoin this bill will nut benefit; vis.—a large proportion
et the most indigent of the population—.those who can
receive education by means of Sunday schools only, and
others who may be driven front the " established" schools
by mismanagement and oppression. •
3. Because, while it mitemits the proposed schools to
the sole nmusgement of the clergy and dignitaries of the
Established church to the entire exclusion of the public
at large, it provides no adequate check on the undue
exercise of the power tens greeted; which power expeei
rience justifies the dissenter in apprehending will be.
a dangerous iustrinnent, liable to outsell abuse, and cal-
culated to raise gi ester obstacles to the general end ilia& •
the advantages which it can possibly afford will emirate.,
lenience. .•
4. Became it will prove injurious to the interests of•
religious liberty, by adding to the number of those elm.'
disaoilittes under which dissenters from the chinch eats.
blislusicut at pretreat labour thereby recognising and
legislating upon a principle which is the basis of all tell.
gious persecution, and which Christiauity and ealighteued
policy unite to condemn. _
It has been contended that the opponents to the hitt II
its present shape should suffer it to proceed, seal, on its
clauses being discussed iu a committee of the house, pro.
pose such alterations as would. in their uwu opinion, reuder
it efficient and unexceptionable. But it may to reply be
stated, that, an the judgment of the dissenters, the mea-
sure is objectionable iii its main features, via.—the rejec-
tion tit pithlic assistance; the exclusion tit public manage-
mein, and the violation of religious liberty. It is t.ot 11,e
principle, but the specific and minor clauses of a Lill, that
form the usual subject, for discussion oit its commettsl;
and the dissenters are thetenne earnestly ratreated nut
to slider any Witticism anuctireltoti of relief, o this nit.
mowed stage, to delude Mein tutu 14(41 security, and
induce them to postpone, even fur a sitigie day, the
claption of ',tempt and iiciive measures of lesistaure.
By referring to the bill, the reader will subset ye that
*vie are utile' clauses vi melt are highly esi•eptitniable
but the objectiiiii, which have heen urged ate Lee,t pre).
.1.16 e present is nil a patty wit mitt
Witith elects the separate totem,. tit any religions &nu.
atination. deeply youcel in, and should •waheit the
olefin et' all who feel anistuusly valuta tor the eatetiaiOat
Or knowledge, and who justly Appreciate the Saine of their
region.. libel nes. 111 one triretioistmice it 1. impottaint
that burry dissenter should Ist' *wale-1114111 Is Ine
tletvirmilatioa to pl ass the IIie4NIII e without an hour's
delay. 'file uppunrilts of the bill toted, therefore, wake
their she'd, awl utsiaully take the necessary steps for
re.isting its eildelitielit, for tioey may be assured
unless Weir eituris, he promptly ensile, they will be alto-
goiter unavailing. Toe legaintate nod coustitisimiral
course to ititopt on the UCC4slun, to itattvelitllly to petition
built Istot.e3 ill pothoUteill, Let ever) coligtegAtteti of
eli,enters, therefore, tliturtatleout the klugtlntu,
prepare o temperate retruciet petition tut the
re jet ut (lit trill; othl I.le inethis to odorant)** 114 lie
{wie that such an appeal to Ind Nisthilli And
of the legislatuto will nil tio made in vine.

Erirr,NstvE FIRE —lnforinatiou from New Bruns.
wick furnishes distressing accounts of an witensiv,
and calamitous tire, which has spread its ravae;es '
nearly 100 miles iii extmt over the most fcrti
proportion of the North and Western pan of No,
Scotia. The tire coutinutal horning tur three day
and such wits its iittensity that the very potatoes
were burnt in the earth ; hum," fields of ►rain
stock of all kind, uud iudoed whole villages ac
settlementa, fell it prey to the devourtag elcuieut.

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