The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-08 00:00:00

THE SUN,

hugging themselves upon the success of their
manoeuvre. So absolutely impossible did they
consider it that anything could occur to defeat the
manoeuvre, so completely did they regard this delay
of six weeks as un fait accompli, that we find in the
Assembles Nationale of Thursday the following
"song of triumph :"
" Little accustomed as yet to the mechanism of our
Government, the public does not appear to have con-
sidered the bearing of the vote which rejected urgency
for the Bill presented by the ❑ew Cabinet. After the
rejection of urgency, the Bill is to be sent before the
Council of State, where it will ba first examined, and
afterward, if necessary, amended by the Committee of
Legislation. After this it will undergo a freak exami-
nation before the whole Council of state. This will
cause a delay which cannot be estimated at less than
two months. Without pretending to divine all the un-
foreseen circumstances which may take place in that in-
terval, all the gravity of the check which the ideas
which dominate tho Presidential Message have met
with may be clearly comprehended—it remains nothing
more than a cause without effect."

The reactionaries, however, had forgotten that it is
always in the power of a certain number of Members
to demand that the Assembly should be consulted as
to the propriety of at once referring any Bill to its
own bureaux, instead of to the Council of State, and
they were so engaged in their own intrigues of per-
sonal ambition as to have passed over as of no
account the great meeting of the Republican Mem-
bers of the Assembly at LEMARDELAY'S, which was held
on Wednesday evening, at which it was unanimously
resolved to aid and support any measure having for
its object the re-establishment of universal suffrage;
the Ministers of M. LOUIS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,
and the PRESIDENT himself, had equally resigned
themselves to their defeat, and had it depended upon
them alone, the probability is that the delay so de-
sired by the intriguers would have taken place.
When the Assembly met on Thursday all the reac-
tionary Members, whether Bonapartist, or Orleanists,
or Legitimatists, or slaves of the parti-pretre,
considered that question as settled, and proceeded
to discuss the Budget, and to vote away money
at such railway speed as would have gladdened the
heart of Sir Cruxes:s WOOD; and these money votes,
be it remembered, were taken actually in the absence
of the Minister of Finance, who, at the time of his
appointment was in Corsica, who has not yet re.
turned, and who has not as yet even signified his wil-
lingness to accept the office to which he has been
appointed. The great vote of the day, that of the
annuity to the Duchess of ORLEANS, having been
passed, the Orleanists, who had obtained their object,
became tired of the amusement of voting a Budget
without a Chancellor of the Exchequer; they con-
sidered, perhaps, that it was a very excellent joke
at first, but a joke, however excellent, LCOMIIS tire
some if continued for six hours, and probably a con-
siderable number of them took their departure ; the
Legitimatists and the Bonapartists were slumbering
on their benches, under the influence of the soporific
eloquence of MM. PAssy, GIRAUD, and DOMBIDEAU
DE CROUSEILLES, who had fur the previous hour been
prosing, after the most approved " House-in-Com-
mittee" manner, on the subject of the grant to the
communal schools, when all at once the prosy ones
were silenced and the slumbering ones awakened, by
an announcement from the PRESIDENT of the Assembly
that several Members had demanded the immediate
reference of the Electoral Law to the bureaux. The
Burgraves sat as men thunderstruck. OLIVER TWIST
had asked for more, and the BUMBLES of the reaction
were in a state of speechless astonishment at his auda-
city. No one rose, and the PRESIDENT was proceed-
ing to put the question as follows :—"lt is proposed
that the reference of the Electoral Law to the Bureaux
shall be the order of the day for to-morrow, and that the
Assembly shall accordingly assemble at one o'clock
in its Bureaux;" thereupon there arose an agonizing
cry from the Right of " To the Council of State, to
the Council of State," and M. FAVREAU exclaimed—
"lt is absolutely obligatory that, urgency not being
voted, it should be referred to the Council of State."
This gentleman, however, was politely informed by
M. DARU, who was officiating as President, that it
was not the duty of the PRESIDENT or of the Govern-
ment to refer it to the Council of State, but that it
was for the Assembly itself to decide, whereupon the
question was put, and the immediate reference to the
Bureaux carried by a large majority. The Burgraves
left the Assembly in a state of consternation ; their
cunning mannauvre for gaining time had failed,
and they who on Tuesday defeated the Bonapartists,
were themselves defeated, and on the same ground,
by the Republicans. "We are undoing to-day what
we did on Tuesday," bitterly exclaimed one of them
on quitting the Assembly. Precisely so, most excel
lent Sir, and if the Republicans continue to pursue
the same legal, constitutional, and firm course which
they have hitherto pursued, this is not the only " un-
doing" to which you will have to submit. The
PISTOLS of the re-action are as yet but at the com-
mencement of their leek, but they will have to eat the
whole of it.

Notwithstanding the formidable attack that bad
been made on " the Godless Colleges," and the fierce
denunciations lavished on every Roman Catholic pa
rent or guardian who permitted hii child or ward to
avail himself of the advantages offered to every stu-
dent without distinction, these admirable institutions
are still flourishing, and more than fulfilling the san-
guine expectations that bad been formed previous to

their establishment, and in the beginning of their ca-
reer. The middle classes see that what had long been a
great desideratum is at length supplied, and that with
no niggard hand, that they can not only obtain a sound
practical education for their children on moderate
terms, but that every privilege which a graduate of
the other University was entitled to will also be en-

joyed by the holders of degrees from the Queen's
University. The instruction is first-rate, not sur-
passed by any that can be obtained within the British
dominions, the charges are exceedingly reasonable ;
there are no expensive habits acquired, or debts in-
curred, to embarrass and cripple the pupil during
his future career; and, above all, there is no undue

interference with, or disability on account of religious
opinions.

Let it not be supposed that the most important
description of knowledge is slighted or despised.
Every person can, and is, expected to devote a certain
portion of his time to the pastors of bis own commu-
nion, and the reports of the Rev. Gentlemen of all
denominations are exceedingly creditable to the zeal
and progress of the students. But there is no prose-
lytism or propagandism tolerated. There is no in-
struction forced on the youths to which they themselves,
or their relatives, or the ministers of their respective
sects might reasonably object. The secular educa-
tion, respecting which there can be no difference of
opinion, is given in common to all. They are
brought together and taught to know their mutual
good qualities. The prejudices that might other wise
exist are thus gradually and effectually dissipated ;
they regard each other in the proper lights, and not
through discoloured glasses, calculated to convey
erroneous impressions. Episcopalian, Presbyterian,
Roman Catholic, and Dissenter meet on neutral
ground to seek the honours open to all, and the aspi-
rations of the less distinguished students are not for
the members of their own creed, but that " the best
man may win"—tbat " merit may receive its just
reward:'

But in the religious exercises and instruction, and
in these alone are they separated. The fertile source
of dissension is
h
removed. The demon of bigotry and
intolerance can
never
justeraised within the academic
rolecomplaint be established of
any indifference or
carelessness
s the topic. Who
with
walls. Nor can a
when the
dispensedness respecting sacred
subjects, which are only
parent or guardian expressly
is there who would send his
child to a
twhich he
private school
where matters were forced on the pupils o
could not conscientiously assent ? If the master did
not respect his desire, clearly and unequivocally ex-
pressed, and permit the absence of the youth for whom
he was interested on such occasions, he would
speedily cut the Gordian knot by the removal
of the student—why then should a public institution
refuse to act on the same principle that was univer-
sally recognised in private educational establish-
ments ? No good reason could be assigned, and
yet a vicious practice had arisen, because each domi-
nant party desired to have the matter in their own
hands, and steadily resisted every attempt:to introduce
a better system.
The first succ"a f 1 effort was made on
the introduction
ofs the national system of
education, which w
by the clergy of was
opposed tooth and nail
the
Established Church.
The cry of ~ Godless. schools" was then got up, And '

LONDON,

many, very many, who had r" other mode of obtain-
ing educat.on for their fhci.s refused to acvpt the
grants th ,t were tendered, or to connect themselves
in any w-ly with the system. There were, it is true,
many honourable exceptiL,:s, and the results, wherever
the Prc,estant minister acted thus wisely, were of
the mote au.picious d.seription. As a body the
Roman Catholic clerg pen acted much more
pruclemly. They were 'relighted at the newly ex-
hibited liberality, and to the utmost of their abilities
co-oper.r.ted with the I vernment in the attempt to
impart some degree of lc )wledge to the great body of
the people. It was tru. • that a Mg:lax and others
of a similar kidney wer occasionally to be found, who
preferred that the ma,ses should remain steeped in
the mos: brutal and besotted ignorance rather than
receive say instruction save through the instrumen-
tality cf the priesthck.d. But dissatisfaction then
forme(?..the exception *rid not the rule of the Roman
Catholic clergy, and Lzlder their auspices the system
extended and attainarY an eminence from which it
cannot easily be disp'aef.-d,
The establishment of the Queen's Colleges, subse-
quently amalgamated into the Queen's University,
was a step in the same direction. It was the neces-
sary sup' lenient tck the Act of 1833, affording, in
fact, to `he middle Llasses advantages similar to those
previot ly bestow€{l. on their humbler brethren.
The c position now, however, proceeds from
a di rent gm. rter. The Ultramontanists
headed by CUL GEN and MqlALE—denounce
" the ,f..iversity" lor the very same reason
that b: CROLEYB and MURRAYB 80 strongly
approved of the National Schools. They are not
now willing to accept equality--they seek superiority.
They are not satisfied to prevent any tampering with
the religious opinions of the members of their own
creed, they desire to have the education of all, without
exception, in their own hands, to inculcate their own
notions. It is for this purpose that they have
raised the outcry for a Catholic University,
which they can never hope to establish on a basis so
extended, or with so many advantages as that which
it is intended to supplant. Their efforts in this re-
spect must prove abortive; but they are endeavouring
to prevent the rising generation from availing them-
selves of the benefits placed within their reach, and
that without affording any substitute. We
rejoice to find from the spirited and indepen-
dent course adopted by the Roman Catholic
laity that this attempted obstruction will also prove a
failure, and that the Irish gentry are not inclined to
surrender their liberties into the hands of a small
and illiberal clique, who have obtained an ascendancy
in the episcopal councils by means which would
scarcely bear investigation.

We have noticed with surprise, in the columns
of a morning Contemporary, an attack on
Mr. MACDONNELL, the Governor of the
Gambia, censuring that gentleman because he
has exerted himself to induce the Legislative
Council of that colony to pass an ordinance imposing
a tax on shipping, with a view to building both an
hospital, for the reception of sick seamen, and a dis-
pensary, for the benefit of the population in general.
We believe our Contemporary must be very ill-in-
formed as to the amount of human misery—disease
and death—which is at present occasioned in that
remote settlement through the want of some public
building to receive the sick. We do not, however,
now mean to go into the details, which could amply
prove our position, nor do we wish to notice the
personalities with which our Contemporary has dis-
figured his arguments; we shall confine ourselves
to correcting misstatements, whereby the public
might be prejudiced against " establishing an hospital
in an African settlement." In the first place, the
proposed tonnage duty of one shilling is a temporary
tax. Secondly, it is untrue that there exists any
adequate public accommodation for invalids at the
Gambia. Thirdly, very great and improper disre-
gard of the health and lives of those sailors and
others who are engaged in the commerce of the
Gambia has been exhibited by parties occupied in
the trade, and by captains of vessels. This has now
reached such a height as to call for the decided in-
terference of the Government. Fourthly, it has
never been contemplated to expend 6,0001. or 8,0001.
on the building—the estimate for which is between
2,500/. and 3,oool.—equivalent to the expenditure of
about 1,5001. in this country on such a purpose. Fifthly,
it is entirely untrue that Governor MACDONNELL
has carried this measure through the Legislative
Council in opposition to the wishes of the three mer-
cantile members of the Council. One of them sup-
ported the ordinance, because, in a pecuniary point of
view, his firm would finally be a gainer by such a
temporary outlay, quite independent of any moral
duty imposed on the community to provide such a
building; another mercantile member wished for a
permanent tonnage duty of sixpence instead of a
temporary one of a shilling, and thus the majority
of the mercantile members completely affirmed the
principle of the measure, which was also supported by
the general feeling of the community. A petition
against it proved a signal failure. Lastly, we must
remark that no immediate duty at the Gambia is now
possible except on shipping. The possession of the
French Cornptoir of Alireda above Bathurst, where
the French may carry goods duty free, would render
any other tax a mere premium to the contraband
trader. And if an hospital ought to be built, the
question then resolves itself into this :—ls it to be
built by the mercantile and general community of the
Gambia at their own cost, by the payment of the only
possible tax ? Or is it to be built with funds sup-
plied from the British Treasury, and contributed by
the over-taxed British labourer ? We say, let the
people of Gambia take care of their own sic7r.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—With reference to a statement, reported to have
been made in the course of the inquiry now pending
before the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancashire, by
the witness Mr. D. M'Lenaghan, to the effect that—
" he had a sum due from the Morning Post in London,
for Liverpool and American news, which he wished to
get, and had taken proceedings against the person who
employed him, on behalf of that paper "—I am directed
by the manager of the Morning Post to appeal to your
courtesy and justice for permission to state, that Mr.
M'Lenaghan never had, and never presented any claim
to the Morning Post for such services. The agent who
supplies the Liverpool and American news to that
journal is regularly paid every month, according to his
contract, as his receipts in my hands wtll prove.
The Morning Post never permits any arrears what-
ever to be due to any person in its employment.
I have the honour to be, Sir, yours, &c.
Nov. 7, 1851. THOMAS BARTON.

The Court of Turin has gone into mourning for
fortnight, on account of the death of his Royal Highness
Prince Frederick William Charles of Prussia.
THE LATE Ma. SHEIL.—The Dublin Daily Express
says :—" The mortal remains of this great Irishman were in-
terred on Wednesday in the churchyard of Templetuohy,
near Long Orchard, the property acquired by Mr. Sheil by
marriage with Mrs. Lalor, his relict. Templetuohy-_a
wretched little village, approached from the Kilkenny side by
a marshy road, as splashy as a Highland glen in wet
weather—is about six miles from Templemore, county Tip-
perary. A more dreary, out-of-the-way resting-place could
scarcely have been chosen for the remains of one who cer-
tainly, in his time, was claimed by all classes of Irishmen as
conferring honour upon their common country by the bril-
liancy of his genius, if not the direction of his talents."
THE GREAT GLOBE IN LEICESTER-SQUARE.—The
premium of 50/. offered by Mr. Wyld for the best design
and model for galleries and staircases, has been awarded to
Messrs. Aickin and Capes, of Islington. Between 20 and
30 designs were sent in.—Builder.

Two CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH.—Yesterday
afternoon Mr. Bedford held two inquests at the St. George's
Hospital
burns.on T
thebodieshefirst ofw twoae
on
Janechildren,F
whoseadget
td, e
ageda t h r esult
sevene d
f
years, who was left at her residence, 2, Mulberry-hall, Ken-
nington-road, on Monday afternoon last. It is supposed the
unfortunate girl was fanning the fire with her apron and set
it on fire; and there being no direct evidence to show this,
the jury returned an open verdict. —The next was on a little
girl named Mary Ann French, aged seven years, the daughter
of a coachman, who, having just lighted a fire at seven
o'clock on Wednesday morning, left the candle on the hearth-
stone, and when attempting to reach a pin from the mantel-
piece to fasten her dress, caught her frock on tiro. The jury
returned a verdict of " Accidental death" in this case, The
Coroner remarked that these were the two most awful cases
of burning he had ever met with.
FATAL ACCIDENT TO LADY HUDDART.—On Sa-
turday morning a fatal accident happened to Lady Huddart,
wrsl ' si3ool
oaaufssddreti.eogafmkoh
iribt dineee.ng,
Her
HerenadLenaar(theal
yi
cii
iChristchurch,
rgioipsr
inLadyship,stwcehaat
suh
frtohuthrr,oai-
who was on a visit to her eon-in-law, the Rev. Mr. Cooke, of
tcwowcsnnhote
started
roer
tpl
of
eamtdnh
carriage,i
oehe frde traces
r t
to
by her
aat hthn,
be
edrr
and,os
whenkidaughter,dee of
thseeriroeussidlyencienjoufrelldir.
Pocock, surgeon,
olfacdynrwistas.
whichuteha
er
pitch-
ing on her head, broke the boaes of her upper jaw, and was
taken
Christ-
church, where she expired within ten minutes after her
arrival.—Poole !Jerald.
A further arrival of 80,0001. from America has
taken
Attnlaant tmic,oadnerdatteherermatiettoafnecxeschaarnegleiksehloywtso,
as was
continue. From St. Petersburgh upwards of 100,000/. is
expected in a day or two by the Emperor steamer, and from
that quarter also the exchange quotations promise a con- 1
sp
anticipated,lace b yth e
tinuance of supplies. On the other hand, tlif4Dritialt ateataer
011 Monday will take out about 200,0004