The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-15 00:00:00

THE EDUCATION BILL.

The House resolved itself into committee on the Ele-
mentary Education Bill, and in a very few minutes two
new clauses, introduced by the Vice-President of the
Council, relating to the payment of ch'airmen of school
boards and to the dissolution of boards in the event of
their not performing their duties, were disposed of, the
committee agreeing to their adoption.—Mr. Hinde-
Palmer moved an amendment, the rejection of which,
he contended, would leave legislation on this subject
incomplete. The object of the amendment was to enable
a parent who felt aggrieved by the teaching of religious
doctrine to complain to the School Board, which body, on
receiving the complaint in writing, should inquire into the
cir\ unstance.—Mr. Forster opposed the amendment
simily on the ground that the bill as it stood amply pro-
tected a parent under such a state of circumstances. Not
wishing to unnecessarily impede the progress of the
measure, the hon. gentleman withdrew his motion.—A
somewhat protracted discussion took place on the subject
of the election of the school boards.—Mr. Forster stated
that the Government had decided in favour ,of direct
election by the ratepayers, their determination having
been the logical consequence of the changes which had
been made in the bill.—Several members complained of
the resolution of the Government, but in the main it
seemed to meet with satisfaction.—Mr. Graves proposed
to extend the provisions of the Act to schools on board
training ships, but the Vice-President said there was
nothing to prevent the establishment of schools and call-
ing them training ships, provided they came within
the conditions of the public elementary school. This
would depend upon the regulations in the revised code,
and he had already promised that the subject should be
most carefully considered. The Government had left them-
selves free on this point by striking out the definition which
would exclude a child boarded out.—Mr. Norwood,
the member for Hull, had a motion on the paper extend-
ing the operations of the Act to ragged schools and orphan
asylums, but it was withdrawn after the announcement of
the Vice-President.—An amendment proposed by Sir
Charles Dunce, the member for Chelsea, raised the ques-
tion of the ballot ; and Mr. Beresford-Hope, the loqua-
cious member for the University of Cambridge, who
evidently entertained the belief that the House had been
entrapped and deceived, indulged in a strong denuncia-
tion of the conduct of the Government for mixing up the
ballOt with the education question. The Chelsea repre-
sentative proposed the election of the school boards
by a secret ballot, but Mr. Forster pointed out that the
word secret was liable to two constructions ; and having
induced the hon. baronet to expunge the word, adopted
the amendment.—Colonel Barttelot was, if anything,
fiercer than Mr.' Hope in his condemnation of the
introduction of the ballot at that advanced stage
of the bill's progress, and declared in excited
tones that had he known the question would have
arisen on the amended schedule, as it had, he should have
opposed the measure.—Mr. Cawley, the member for Sal-
ford, notwithstanding his earnest desire to see the bill
become law, protested in very energetic terms against the
association of such distasteful subjects as the ballot
with the question of national education.—Lord John
Manners was not slow to and his protestation against the
Principle of the ballot, and he warned the committee not
to endanger the passing of the bill by the adoption of the
proposition.—The Vice. President of the Council con-
tended that the ballot was involved in one of the amend-
ments which he introduced after Whitsuntide ; but Mr.
Cawley disputed the correctness of the right hon. gentle-
man in this particular, and said it was only when at dinner
that he heard with astonishment of the departure from
the original bill. Up to within a few hours it was pro-
posed that the town councils should elect the boards. It
Was manifest that the tone of the debate had alarmed the
Treasury bench and the Government side of the House,
which had been for some time empty, or nearly so, but
began gradually to present a formidable appearance. Mr,
Glyn, the Liberal whip, had been at work, and it was
apparent that great importance was attached to the
expected division, whilst the altered aspect of affairs oc-
easioned the Government great concern. On no part of
the bill had the Conservatives evinced such a determined

attitude of hostility, and Mr. G. Hardy, who, in the ab-
sence of Mr. Disraeli, is the acknowledged leader of the
Opposition, attacked the Government with a spiritedness
and vehemence which met with the loud acclaim of his
party. He regarded the introduction of the ballot as an
intolerable innovation, to use the phrase of the Premier,
and accused the Government of attempting to " sneak"
the ballot into the moasure, a sure and certain means in
his opinion of ensuring its rejection.—Mr. Gladstone re-
plied to what he characterised as the " heated"
speech of the right hon. gentleman, and eons
tended that the ballot had been in operation
in various local elections and worked with good results.—
After some further discussion, which was by no means
favourable to the Government, Mr. B. Hope moved to
amend the amendment by the omission of the obnoxious
words. A pretty general opinion prevailed on the Con-
servative side that the ballot had been introduced with
the view of conciliating the Liberal members below the
gangway. At half-past eleven, Colonel Barttelot, in
order, as he said, to give the Government time for reflec-
tion, reported progress.—Mr. Gladstone could hardly
believe that the gallant gentleman was in earnest, and
ventured to express a slight opinion that he would not
receive much support from his own party.—Mr. Disraeli,
who during the discussion made his appearance, remarked
that they had been on the eve of passing a bill which had,
on the whole, enlisted the sympathies of both sides of
the House, and it was remarkable that the Government
should have excited their passions at the last moment. The
committee divided on the question that the Chairman
report progress, and the result was—ayes, 136 ; noes, 244.
Several divisions took place, with the view of arriving at
an issue on the main question. A proposal .by Lord
Claud HaMilton that " voting-papers " be inserted was
lost, and a division was taken on the question whether
the word " secret " should stand part of the bill. The
Vice-President had already expressed his wish that the
word should be withdrawn, and the Marquis of Harting-
ton explained that it was quite possible to have a system
of ballot without its being secret ; but this assertion was
received with a derisive shout of laughter on the Con-
servative side of the House--On a division the word
" secret " was left out by a majority of 28S against
47.
Mr. Disraeli appealed to the Prime Minister to recon-
sider the subject of the ballot, which he spoke
of as an unhappy innovation.—The Prime Minister
said he could not accede to the appeal of the
righf hon. gentleman, remarking that it had always been
the aim of the Government to reduce the points in dis-
pute to a minimum. At a quarter past one the committee
divided on the question that progress be reported. The
result was—Ayes, 114 ; noes, 210. —Lord John Manners
then moved that the word ballot be omitted, and that the
system of election should be 'similar to that in force
for the election of the guardians of the poor.
On the division the proposition was rejected by 196 to
127 votes. Sir SELWIN IBBETSON proposed that the votes
should be open to the inspection of any ratepayer.
Laughter and cheers greeted this proposition, and on a
division it was lost by 187 to 98 votes. Mr. A GUEST
then moved that the chairman report progress, and on a
division the motion was lost by 178 to 90 votes. Mr.
VANCE, the member for Armagh, at a quarter
past two moved that Mr. Dodson leave the chair.
The motion was lost on a division. Mr. CAwLEY
moved an amendment, which proposed to render
the adoption .of the ballot permissive. This pro-
posal, however, was not viewed with any degree of favour,
and yet neither side of the House indicated any intention
of yielding. The attitude assumed by each party was
that of uncompromising hostility, and Mr. GLADSTONE
emphatically declared that Government were not prepared
to abandon their proposal. At ten minutes past three the
House once more divided on the question of adjournment,
and the Government were again in a majority. Never-
theless, Captain SEYMOUR moved that Mr. Dodson should
leave the chair, remarking that he had supported the bill
hitherto. Mr. GLADSTONE informed the hon. gentleman
that such a motion showed the most determined hostility
to the measure. The Oppositionists were again defeated
on a division, but continuing their tactics with a
wearisome persisteney another division was forced
at half-past three on the question of progress,
and again the Government were in a triumphant majo-
rity. At twenty minutes to four another attempt was
made to stay the proceedings, and Sir H. HowE hoped to
subdue the Opposition by telling them that, being three to '
one, the Liberals would triumph, even by the process of
exhaustion.—Mr. MUNDELLA solemnly asked if such a
proceeding was worthy of the first deliberate assembly in
the world.—Mr. GLADSTONE was very severe o the oppo
nents of the bill, and reminded the House that the cognised
leaders of the Conservative party had refused by their
absence to be responsible for a continuance of such
maneuvering.—Mr. J. LOWTHER, the member for York,
pluckily defended the conduct of himself and colleagues.
—Colonel BARTTELOT remarked that since the First Com-
missioner of Works had come to that side of the House it
was time for him to leave, and amid great laughter the
gallant member, accompanied by a troop of his friends, left
the House.—The House then divided on the question of
progress. The proposition was rejected by 198 to 30 votes.
By this time the gaslights were extinguished, and there
was perfect daylight. Sir PERCY BURRELL moved that
the Chairman report progress, ivhereup-onlYrr. 'Locke con-
vulsed the House with laughter by pointing to the hon.
baronet as a convincing proof of the necessity for going to
bed, and remarking that the member for Shoreham was
quite exhausted. The motion on a division was lost, and
shortly after the amendment of Mr. Cawley was negatived.
At five o'clock the bill passed through committee, and the
report was fixed for Tuesday. Several orders having
been disposed of, the House adjourned at ten minutes
past five.

OUR COTEMPORARIES.—This Morning.

T EIE s Cl', LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 15, 167 u.

Government will be satisfied with the simple withdrawal
of the Hohenzollern Prince

At Madrid the prospects peace were thought to be
improved, and the funds rose three or four per cent.
in consequence. Paris, however, remains a
prey to much agitation, owing mostly -to the
uncertain tone of the Duke of Gramont's last speech in
the two Chambers. M. 011ivier, too, has given much
offence by announcing to some members of the Corps
L4gislatif that the withdrawal of the candidature of
Prince Leopold bad settled the question. This statement
was universally condemned, and gave great offence to the
Duke of Gramont, who immediately insisted on an
explanation in presence of the Emperor. M. 011ivier
excused himself on the ground that the telegram
from which he had gathered the information was a
Havas, and not an official one. In fact it was a private
dtspatch sent from a private individual from Ems
to Marshal Prim, and which had been intercepted by
the French Minister of the Interior, sent by him to
M. Olozaga, and thence communicated to M. 011ivier.