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

paniment is easy a -id graceful. It will no doubt be a
favourite with y( ung ladies in the drawing-room.

THE MUSIC BOOK. Part 5.

Thia part fully maintains that high character which
The Music Book has already acquired. It contains a
ballad by Crouch, and a waltz and a song by Mrs.
Gilbert a Beckett. The words of the latter are from
the pen of Barry Cornwall.

GOVERNMENT

SCHEME OF

EDUCATION.
A public meeting was held last evening 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 100,000/. a year by the most unconstitu-
tional means. The Government, 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 ultimately create pensioners
on the bouty of the State to no less a number than
80,000 individuals, at an annual expense of 1,750,0001.
It was nothing more than a scheme to enslave the peo-
ple, and bind them over hand and foot to the State.
He did not object to any constitutional measure
that might strengthen the Church; but his objec-
tion was to the State coming to the aid of the
Church, by establishing schools all over the coun-
try, that would have the effect of destroying the
fres expression of religious sentiment, by giving a tone
and colour to the opinions of those who were to be the
teachers in such schools. The supporters of the volun-
tary principle, without possessing either the revenues or
the power of Government, had done three times as much
for the promotion of education as the most strenuous
supporters of State interference, who had hung back
until they were shamed into exertion 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. IL 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-
rant( el 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 his
address to the electors ut the city of London, on his re-
sumption of office, but people looked in vain to litr
Majesty' speech at the opening of Parliament for the
announcement of any proposed legislative measure
upon the subject, and whether the subject would be
brought forward at all during the session it was hard
to say. This state of uncert:-.inty was, however, termi-
na'ed by L,rd 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 money 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 wai intrtretrd to the council, which con-
sisted of a certain number of the ministers for the time
being, the only fixture being Mr. Shuttkworth, the sec-
retary. To think that the great question of popular
education should be confid. d to such hands was in itself
absurd, and to the people of England insulting. If such
a power was to exist it should be vested in a man re-
sponsible for his deeds, for even supposing the measura to
be a good one, it not to seduce them into the acknow-
ledgement of an unconstitutional principle. It was a
step towards despotism, and one a hich ought to be re-
traced. For the advancement of education the plan was
unnecessary, and would be found ultimately impracti-
cable, fur if government undertook to support schools
partially, few years would elapse before they would be
obliged to support them wholly ; and this would call for
an expenditure of upwards of 2,000,0001. a year. There
would be 60,000 state officers, and it was no exaggeration
to say that this little matter would reduce half a million
of people to be slavish dependants of Government. It
was a scheme for extending clerical domination. The
Bishop of Exeter had proposed to make all the school-
masters deacons of the Church. Now Sheffield would
be divided into twenty-five districts, each having a
schoolmaster ; thus there would be no less than twenty-
five newly ordained clergymen in that parish alone.—
(Cheers.) Looking at the subject in all its aspects, he
contended that the measure should be resisted, the
Council or-Education abolished, and that no minister of
public instruction should be suffered to exist.—(Cheers.)
public
Times complained of the phrase " Government in-
terference," and said that the expression ought to be
" Government aid and encouragement ;" but the aid of
the Government was an interference. and the terms were
synon:, mous. The Reverend Gentleman concluded by
suggesting that, as a general election vas approaching,
a letter should be addressed to the electors of the city of
London and to Lord J. Russell, telling him that they would
not give him their vote if he persisted in the maintenance
of this most unconstitutional measure.

J. CONDOR, Esq , seconded the resolution. He con-
ceived that the working man had an equal right with
the rich man to superintend the education of his children;
but if the argument were sound that education was a
matter of government, than the education of the rich
as well es the poor ought to be under the Government.
and he contended that it was entirely the businees of
the parents. They had heard much cant about igno-
rance 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 ignorance. One thing was kept entirely
in the back ground—he meant the large endowments of
grammar-schools and trust-funds, which had been esti-
mated by Lord Brougham 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 scheme to
be good, still those who apprehended mischief from it
were entitled to previous discussion and inquiry. It
ought not to be forced upon the country by the uncon-
stitutional mode of an Act of the Privy Council instead
of that of the Legislature.
A person of the name of EDWARDS, who described
himself to be a working man, here proposed an emeriti-
merit, the object of which 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 lie had done for many years in
the haunts of the poor, he could teetify 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
Was inadequate. He continued addressing the meeting
for a einsiderable time amidst much interruption.
Mr. CAUST seconded the amendmen',

Dr. CARLYLE having spoken in opposition to it, it was
rjected, and the original resolution was carried, amidst
loud cheers.

Dr. Cox moved, and the Rev. B. WOODYARD seconded,
the two following resolutions: —" That this attempt to
carry into eff,:et so extensive a measure, by virtue of the
royal prerogative and without the intervention of the
L'gislature, considered in connexion with the character
of the measure itself and with the liberal professions of
the Administration from which it emanates, has a strong
tendency to confirm the prevailing opinion, that the edu-
cation of the people is a matter in which the Government
can neither rightfully nor usefully interfere. That, there-
fore, this meeting hail with satisfaction the manifest
tokens of a general opposition to this unconstitutional and
dangerous measure, rejoice in the formation of the cen-
tral committee appointed to aid in its defeat, and pledge
themselves to promote that 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
House, 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 has
assumed so unconstitutional an authority."
These were unanimously adopted, and the meeting
separated.

Inisu RELIEF.—Un Sunday morning, the 28th ult ,
after an excellent sermon by the Rev. William Bridgman
Simpson, at the parish church of Badworth, in the county of
Nottingham—a parish with but about 450 population—the
sam of 67/. was collected in accordance with the Queen's letter;
and ir. the afternoon 25/. 7s. was contributed at the Ranh).
School-room chapel, in the same parish.

On Wednesday morning last a most disgraceful
scene occurred in Barton market-place—naniely, a sale of his
wife by a man living at Barrow.
COAL- PIT lisrLoSJoN. BARNSLEY, THURSDAY,
11‘14.
, cit 11.—After the inquest on Monday, Mr. Marshall,
tuheo,V:rskecorfetthe magistrates' at Barnsley, forwarded to the
lancholy ary
all the particulars connected with the rile-
would eand occurrence,down an with a request that the Government
wit 3 ingood
Workian inspector to ascertain whether the pit
tong condition at the time of the deplorable
catastrophe, andproper means had been taken for
the purpose of keeping if
ance with the abovelethe pit well ventilated. In accord-
y request, Sir George Grey immediately
dispatched Sir hienr 13,ecp, Bart.,
who arrived here yesterdaN' and Mr. Smyth,
a:nine the pit, and to inquire Int proceeded forthwith to ex-
but as the same witnesses will into
the cause of the accident;
tion2d before the Coroner, it of coui7eanlined as were ques-
tun of the evidence. From all that canlil Only be a repeti-
pretty evident the cause of the accident Is ascertained, it is
to the carelessness of William Mathivraandte be attributed
Abraham
Kral_
too, two of the unfortunate sufferers, as it is clearly
that the explosion must have commenced at the holPr wZeed
they were working. No safety lamps had been discovered ire
any part of the pit. On the most careful inquiry it has been
found that 95 persons were in the pit at the time of the ex-
plosion ; 66 of whom have already been hi ought up dead,
and it is calculated that out of the whole number in the pit
only ten have escaped unhurt, as several lie dangerously ill
at the present time, twiny of whom have not the slightest
chance of recovery. An explosion took place in the same
pit in July, 1845, upon which occasion three lives were lost.
'There are only two sufferers whose bodies have not yet been
recovered.