The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-04 00:00:00

had only been laid on the table in February, The report
was signed by only three commissioners ; one of the
others dissented from the whole; the other, Mr. Hughes,
dissented from the powers proposed to be given to the
board with regard to mixed schools. Under these cir-
cumstances he thought he was not asking too much on
the part of the Government that they should not be ex-
pected to come to a conclusion on a matter of such im-
portance, involving such grave interests, without the
most serious and deliberate consideration. The improve-
ment of the middle-class education in Ireland was a mat-
ter of paramount importance, especially since the insti-
tution of the Queen's colleges had done so much for the
education of the upper classes ; and under the national
school system the primary instruction of the lower orders
was so much improved, it was desirable that the educa-
tion of the middle classes should keep pace with those
above and below them. With regard to the proposal of
the commissioners, he fully admitted their labour and
dil genes, but he must be allowed to refrain from pledg-
ing himself to adopt their recommendation. The report
should receive the most careful consideration of her Ma-
jesty's Government and of the Government in Ireland ;
direct
eecsut subject was
awratiscounlaertoatwtehnicthiotal:eaLndord heLiweuouteldnafnet wouldlwgorueat
pleasure if he could, either by following the recommen-
dations of the commissioners, or by means of the infor-
mation they had prepared, find any means of promoting
objects of such deep interest,
The Earl of CARLISLE said that the observation of
the noble earl bad relieved him from the necessity of con-
tinuing the discussion ; but knowing what was passing in
Ireland, he felt bound to say that it was impossible to
estimate too highly the labour, perseverance, imparti-
ality, and candour of the commissioners, who had been
selected by his predecessor in office (Earl St. Germains),
Their report contained a mass of most useful matter, de-
serving the most deliberate consideration of the Govern-
ment and Legislature. He regretted that he had not
had time to make himself master of its voluminous
contents, but it was clear that the existence was proved
of great and manifold abuses, which called fora remedy.
The education given in Ireland, in the primary schools
under the National Board, would compare with any-
thing in England, but there was a striking inferiority in
the middle class schools. The details given in the re-
port showed that there were great facilities for remedy-
ing this defect, and he could only express a hope that
no too narrow an adherence to the old forms of the
establishment would be allowed to prevent them from
dealing with these endowments in such a manner as
would best promote and extend middle class education
in Ireland.

The Bishop of CASHEL concurred in the testimony
to the character and labour of the commissioners ; but
with regard to the report of the three, one of the other
two dissented from it as vicious in principle and bad in
law, the other, Mr. Hughes, declared the system to be
wrong in principle and impossible in practice ; separate
education he pronounced to be right in principle, and
the only one practicable in Ireland. No Government,
no people, would act on a report which was so denounced
by two of the commissioners. The report divided the
schools into two classes, exclusive and non-exclusive,
and proposed to transfer all non-exclusive to the new
board. By exclusives_ schools -they meant those into
which children of only one persuasion had a right to
admission ; but there were a number of schools founded
by Protestants to encourage the teaching of the estab-
lidhed religion. Into these schools Catholic children
were admitted, that they might be turned from what the
founders considered error ; but by the definition of the
report these would be held non-exclusive schools. They
would, under the board, be devoted to mixed educa•
tion, and the intentions of the founders would be frus-
trated. He admitted that there was great need of doing
something ; but he conceived the great want was that
of a good inspection. There was now a number of
schools subject to no inspection, and there ought to be
a staff of properly trained inspectors.
The Earl ST. GERMAIN'S had no wish to prolong
the discussion. He thought his noble friend (the Earl
of Cork) and the house ought to be satisfied with the
a.surance given by the noble earl (the Earl of Derby)
that the subject should receive the consideration of the
Government. Ho feared that an impression bad been
made on their lordships that the education in all these
schools was defective ; such was not the case—he could
speak from personal knowledge of the Royal School of
Armagh, which he bad visited, and which was not infe-
rior to any school in the country. He believed several
others were equally efficient.
The Earl of BELMOR E said that the schools of Eu •
niskillen, Dungannon, and Armagh were in the most
satisfactory condition. A number of others, however,
were in a very inferior state, and the commissioners pro-
posed to improve them at the expense of the others.

The subject then dropped.
CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA.

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY rose, pursuant to no-
tice, to present a petition from various religious denomi-
nations respecting the promotion of Christianity in India.
He said the object of the petitioners was to clear them-
selves of imputations which had been lately made against
them. They had been charged with bigotry, with vio-
lence, with a wish to make proselytes by force, and with
a desire to obtain the aid of Government in theirobjects.
They denied all these charges, and wished that this pe-
tition should be regarded as a sort of confession of faith.
They wished to place it on record as an exhibition of
their principles and objects, so that hereafter. when any
such charges might be male against them, they could
refer to this petition for their justification.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH would not say more
with regard to the petition than that so long as he had
anything to do with the government of India he -should
adlkiere most strictly to the anniFint traditinnal policy of
the British Government in India—that was absolute
neutrality in matters of religion. He intended, so far as
in him lay, that this neutrality should be real, that it
should exist not only in the language of the Govern
went, but in its acts and the acts of its officers. He
had heard with satisfaction from his noble friend that
the petitioners did not desire the aid of Government ;
he felt satisfied that nothing could be so injurious
to their object as even the appearance of sue!' aid
they should stand by themselves; by individual exertions
by private missio❑aries, they might have some success ;
but he felt convinced that if it was for a moment sup.
posed that Government extended any aid to them (he
feared there was a belief that such was to some exten t
the ease), the result would be the greatest danger to
English interests i❑ India, and the utter destruction of
all the hopes of the missionaries of religion.
The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
TRANSFER OF LAND BILL.

The report of amendments to this bill was received.
EXCHEQUER, BILLS (20,911,5001) BILL.
This bill was read a third time and paseed.
Their lordships adjourned at five minutes to seven.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—',YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and
passed :--Birmingham Canal Navigation, Brentford
Gas, and Garngad Road.
The following bills wera further considered and
ordered to be read a third time :—Corn wall Railway,
Eastern Counties Railway, London and South Western
Railway, Plymouth Great Western Docks, Stokes Bay
Railway and Pier, and Trent Navigation.
IIAINAULT FOREST (ALLOTMENT OF COM-
MONS) BILL.
Mr. HAMILTON nominated the following Select
Committee on Hainault Forest (Allotment of Commons)
Bill :—Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Whitmore. Mr. Crawford,
Mr. Deedes, Mr. Wu). Beresfard, and Mr, Jas. Wilson ;
and five members to be added by the Committee of
Selection—five to be the quorum.
IRISH REVENUE POLICE.

Mr. F. RUSSELL moved for copies of a memorial
from the officers of the late Irish Revenue Police to the
Lords of the Treasury, presented on the 23d day of
March last to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with
the accompanying statement of the present and of the
proposed retiring allowances ; and of the Treasury
minute made tbereon.—Agreed to.
WESTERN BANS OF SCOTLAND.

Mr. BRADY gave notice that he should to-morrow
put a question to the Lord-Advocate relative to the
Western Bank of Scotland.
THE INDIAN PRESS.

Mr. MAGUIRE gave notice that he should to-mor-
row presenf a petition from the Madras Presidency rela-
tive to the Press Act.
APPOINTMENT OF MAGISTRATES FOR THE
BOROUGH OF CANTERBURY.
Mr. JOHN LOCKE (Southwark) gave notice that he
should on Friday call the attention of the house to the
recent appointment of justices of the peace for the bo-
rough of Canterbury.
__r MERCANTILE LAW OF CANADA.
M . VANCE asked the Attorney-General if his at-
tention had been called to the present state of the mer-
cantile law
of Canada,effewoh.ich sanctions preferential
assignments of debtors'
without affording any
means of redress to the general body of their cireditor4
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he was unable
to afford any informationonthe subject. It was one ex-
clusively within the cognisance
for Eg
ofthe Canadian Ldegniso-
lature. The Attorney-Generalmeans of taking the final step towards redressing any
such grievance as that alluded to.
SANDHURST AND WOOLWICH.
Mr. LYGON asked Viscount Palmerston whether
the minutes relative to the recent alterations at Sand-
hurst and Woolwich were submitted to, and sanctioned
by, the late Government or not. (Cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON said his noble friend Lord
Pantnure showed him the draft of a regulation to form
the new arrangements referred to, and, generally speak-
ing, it seemed to him (Lord Palmerston) to be very right
and proper. It involved two material paints. One was
that young men who wiehei to become competitors for
examination in the scientific branches, instead of regis-
tering their names at the office of the Secretary of State
for War, were to register them at the Commander
in-Chief's. The other was that competitors for com-
missions in scientific branches should be from Sandhurst
instead of those educated elsewhere, which was Bug-
Bested with a view of impr wing the education at
Sindburst, with the understanding that if the change
was objected to comp, ttors should be taken one ha f
from Sandhurst, and cue half from e'sewhere. With re- ,
Bard to the part of the question omitted, w bether
tip -
minute bore any minute of his (Lord Palmerston)
in his own handwriting, be was unable then to give an
answer, but he had no doubt his right hon. friend the
Secretary f r War (General Peal) could best answer the
cluestine. (Hear, hear.)
The
BONDS (2,000,0001.) BILL.
e CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
the second reading of this bill.
SileG. C. LEWIS said—Sir, in rising to offer a few
remarks on this bill, I am desirous at the outset to ad-
vert to a report which has been industriously circulated,