The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-15 00:00:00

GOVERNMENT SCHEME OF

EDUCATION.

A public nicetine.;:sceici;;iiiursday in the Hall of
Commerce, Threadneedle-street, convened by the central
committee appointed to aid in opposing the measure of
education developed in the minutes of the committee of
the Privy Council.
D. WIRE, Esq., took the chair, and in opening the
business of the evening, he avowed that the object of
those who had called it together was to oppose by all
legitimate and constitutional means the plan of educa-
tion which had been put forth by the Government,
which he considered to be fraught with imminent peril
to the civil and religious liberties of the people. It was
a plan by which it was proposed to levy a tax of not
less that 100,0001. a year by the most unconstitu-
tional means. The G:vernment, through the
agency of the Privy Council, were about to usurp
the prerogative of Parliament, and if the scheme were
fully carried out it would •altimatety create pensioners
on the booty of the State to no less a number !han
80,000 individuals, at an annual expense of 1,730,0001.
It was nothing more than a scheme o ens:ave the peo-
plait, and bind them over hand awl foot to the State.
He did not olok•ct to any constitutional measure
that might strengthen the Churs;h; but his objec-
tion was to the State c ,ruing to the aid of the
Church, by cs•ablirshing seho als all over the coon.
try, that would have the effect or destroying the
free expression of religious L.-;litiment, by giving a tone
and colour to the eihiions of those r ho were to be the
teachers in such schools. The supporters of the volun-
tary principl,, without possessing either the revenues or
the power of Government, had done three times us much
for the promotion of education as the most strenuous
supporters of State interference, who had hung back
until they were shamed into ex•rtion by the laudable
example which the Dissenters had set before them in
establishing schools throughout the land. The learned
Gentleman concluded by expressing a hope that a fair
hearing would be given to all who might be disposed to
address the meeting.
The Rev. J. H. HINTON moved the first resolution as
_

follows:—" That this meeting, deeply concerned for the
welfare of the working classes, and especially for the
sound instruction of the young, have with impartial at-
tention examined the minutes of the Committee of the
Privy Council on Education of August and December,
1846 ; and feel themselves constrained earnestly to
deprecate the adoption of the measures therein de-
scribed, as emanating from an authority not war-
ranted by the constitution, as proceeding upon a
fallacious and exaggerated view of the educational
necessities of the country, as adverse to civil and
religious liberty, as calculated injuriously to increase
the power, influence, and wealth of the established
church, as imposing new grievances and disabilities
upon dissenters, as involving a vast outlay of money,
and as extending the sphere of government patronage.
in a manner so highly detrimental to the public in
terests." The rev, gentleman said that, after a lull of
three years, it seemed they were to have another educa-
tion battle. Lord John gave note of preparation in hi,
address to the electors of the city of London, on his re
sumption of office, but people looked in vain to her
Majesty' speech at the opening of Parliament far the
announcement of any proposed legislative measure
upon the subject, and whether the subject would be
brought fora and at all during the session it was hard
to say. This state of uncertainty was, however, termi-
na,ed by Lard Lansdowne introducing something on the
subject in the shape of certain minutes of the committee
of the Privy Council of Education, the most important
of which declared that their lordships recommended the
grant of mom- y to all schools which would submit them-
selves to the inspection of a government inspector. This
recommendation was soon acted upon and 20,0001. was
granted for the building of schools. The management
of this money was intrusted to the council, which con-
sisted of a certain number of the ministers for the time
being, the only fixture being Mr. Shuttleworth, the sec-
retary. To think that the great question of popular
education should be confided to such hands was in itself
absurd', :Ind to the people of England insulting. If iamb
power sues to exit it should be vested in a man re-
sponsible for his deeds, for even supposing the measure to
be a good one, it nut t, seduce them into the acknow.
ledgement ,)1 an unconstitutional principle. It was a
step rewards potisLn, and one which ought to be re-
traced. For the air-ince:mut of education the plan was
unnecessary, and would be found ultimately impracti-
cable, for if government undertook to support schools
partially, few years wool.] elapse before they would be
obliged to support them wholly ; and this would call for
an expenditure of upwerds of 2,000,000/. a year. There
would be 60,000 state officers, and it was no exagg,7rivion
to say th•►t this little matter would le duce, half -a
million
of people to be slavish depend ants of Government. It
was a scheme for extending clerical domination. The
Bishop of Exeter had prop sed to in tke all the school-
mastere deacons of the Church. Now Sheffield would
be divided into twenty-five districts, each having a
schoelmaster ; thus there would be no less than twenty-
five newly ordained clergymen in that parish alone.-
4:Ctieers.) Looking at the subject in all its aspects, he
contended that the measure should be resisted, the
Council of Education abolished, and that no minister ce
public instruction should be suffered to exist.—(Cheers.)
The Times complained of the phrase " Government in
terference," and said that the expression ought to be. Government aid and encouragement ;" but the aid o
the Government was an interference. and the terms were
synonymous. The Reverend Gentleman concluded by
suggesting that, as a general election was approaching.
a letter should he addresf,ed to the electors of the city of
London and to Lord J.Russell,telling him thatthey would
not give him their vote if he persisted in the maintenance
of this most unconstitutional measure.

J. CONDOR, Eiq , seconded the resolution. He con-
ceived that the working man had an equal right with
the rich man to sup rintend the education of his children;
bat if the argument were sound that education was b
Matter of government, then the edncation of the rid!
a►► Nell as the poor ought to be under the Government.
and he contended that it was- entirely the business of
the parents. They fad heard much cant about igno
ranee and crime being associated together ; but
the blue books showed that there was a
closer connexion between crime and poverty than be-
tween crime and ;gnorance. One thing was kept entirely
in the bst'k ground—he meant the large endowments o:
grammar-schools and trust-funds, which had been esti
Elated by Lord Brou,gham to be not less than a million
and a half a year. These endowments had been enor-
mously abused. Originally intended' for the benefit of
the poor, they had been appropriated exclusively to the
uses of the rich. Supposing this Government echeme to
be good, still those who apprehended mischief from ii
were entitled to previous discussion and inquiry. It
ought net t') be forced upon the country by the uncon-
atituzion-.1 mode of an Act of the Privy Council instead
tl that of the Legislature.

A Tie rsto of the name of EDWARDS, who described
himself to be a working man, here proposed an amend-
ment, the object of v. hick was to declare that it was the
. duty of the Government to prevent crime and immoral-
ity by a general diffusion of industrial and unsectarian
education. Living as he had done for many years in
the haunts of the poor, he could testify to the horrors
of ignorance, and to the long train of vices which it
engendered, and to eradicate that ignorance he con-
sidered was a work to which the voluntary principle
vas inadequate. He contnued addressing the meeting
for a 0... n 1 ii.rable time amidst much interruptirn.
Mr. (AusT secondi-d the amendwen+,
Dr. CARLYLE having spolon in opposition to it, it was
rejected, and the original resolution was carried, amidst
iomil era.

Dr. Cox moved, and the Rev. B. Woo Drano seconded.
the two following. resolutions: --`• That this attempt to
carry into eff.,ct s, extensive a measure, by virtue of the
royal prerogative and without the intervention of the
Legislature, considered in connrxion with the'charactei
of the measure itself and with the liberal professions a
the Ad3ainistra,tion from whieh it emanates, has a strong
tendency to confirm the prevailing opinion, that the edu-
cation of tlutgeople is a matter in which the Government
can neither ri4htfully nor usefully interfere. That, there-
fore, this meeting hail with satisl.t,.ction the manifest
tokens of a general opp,dotion to this unconstitutional and
clangProus, measure, rejoice in the fortratien of the cen-
tral cornnyttee appointed to aid in its defeat, and pledge
themselves to promote th 4 object by every means
in their power ; and that, for this end, the
foregoing resolutions be embodied in the form of a peti-
tion to the House of Commons, praying that honourable
pause. by express vote, to withhold its sanction from
-the said minute, and to address the Crown. beseeching
her Majesty to revoke the order in council in virtue of
which the Committee of Council on Education bas
:assumed so unconstitutional an authority."
These were unanimously adopted, and the meeting
-separated. •

limn TIELIEF.—Vn Sunday morning, the 28th ult.,
after an excellent sermon by the Rev. William Bridgman
Simpson, at the parisfrclurch of Badworth, in the county of
Nottingham—a parish with but about 450 population—the
sum of 871. was collected in accordance with the Queen's letter;
and in the afternoon 25/. 7s. was contributed at the Ranby
SchOol-room chapel, in the same parish.
On Wednesday mcrning last a most disgraceful
scene occurred in Barton market-place—namely, a sale of his
wife by a man living a: Barrow.
COAL. PIT EXPLOSION. BARNSLEY, THURSDAY,
I.I.AACII 1 I.—Afier the inquest on Monday, Mr. Marshall,
the clerk of the magistrates at Barnsley, forwarded to the
Borne Secretary all the particulars connected with the me•
lancholy occurrence, with a request that the Government
arould send down an Inspector to ascertain whether the pit
was in good working condition at the time of the deplorable
catastrophe, and to see if proper means had been taken for
the purpose of keeping the pit well ventilated. In accard-
,?ce with the above request, Sir George Grey immediately
dispatched Sir henry de la Beebe, Bart., and Mr. Smyth,
ho arrived here yesterday and proceeded forthwith to ex-
alniae the Pit, and to inqufre, into the cause of the accident;
tbiuotn
cads
before
r Damei witnesses will be examined as were ques-
tion of the tieroner, it of course will only be a repeti-
pretty evident pile evidence.
From all that can be ascertained, it is
e cause of the accident is to be attributed
to the carelessness ct W il i
too, two of the untortun
aitam Mathews and Abraham Wal-
that the explosion must haev:ufferers, as it is clearly proved
,they were working. No
~fet.colrimenced at the holes where
Any part of the pit. 0.1 the i`uoser caPe elfiad been discovered in
?blind that 95 Fersons were itv the pit
t""nquiry it has been
of whom have at the time of the ex-
plosion ; 66 already been brought
And it is calculated that out of the whole number 'up
dead,
escaped as sever•
aonly ten ha.'e • unhurt, al he in the pit
dangerously ill
at the present time
mema of whotn have not the slightest
vAn explosion took place in
chance
of recover.. the same
occasion three -
pit in July, 1845, upon which . lives were lest. ,
There are only two sufferers whose bodies have not yet been I

recovered.
LOCAL RLILWAYS.—The Portsmouth Extension of
the Chichester and Brighton Railway is progressing very
speedily. 4: Wei toderst:ind the directors contemplate opening
the en'tlretni3oh the first day of May. The works on the
iarebam Brapar•of the South-Western Railway were com-
menced on Friday last, the object of the director of the coin.
piny being to geethe branch completed by the middle of the
present rear, 3, 4 . (
MI thi- ''r---. : ~ :livtiroenpeatu afforded what
et
;re vsee vbeerfalel said,
n
cyortemout. sr- 1 1:•. : ...,: provided with railways than an; 1
ti”ltta_! L' IL, , ...; • ampshire Independent.
Ai -

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