The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-03 00:00:00

SALE OF REVERSIONS BILL•

This bill was read a second time.
METROPOLITAN LOCAL ACT AMENDMENT

BILL.

Lord CLINTON moved the second reading of this bill,
and it was carried, with the addition of a rescinding of the
6th clause relating to costermongers.

PROCESSIONS IN IRELAND.

Lord CLANDEBOYE moved for the police returns
relative to the late processions that had taken place in Cork
and other i laces in Ireland, and which were on behalf of

those unfortunate men who were executed at Manchester.
He was willing to admit that those persons who
took part in these might not have come within the
within the law, but still he thought that there should be the
fullest details as to to this expression of partisanship, espe-
cially as many of the newspapers had taken up the tone
that poor Brett's murder was only a mischance, and that
the three men were murdered, he would earnestly direct
the attention of her Majesty's Government. In his
own county, where he was Lord Lieutenant, he had
been called upon to say as to whether they
ought not, without respect to any situation, to be
vigorously dealt with. An Orangeman, who wore a
iband would have to go to prison, why therefore should
the other escape. He had respect for the green riband,
but he did not like to see it degraded as it lately had been,
and could not help expressing his indignation if these
processions were overlooked.

Lord DERBY said that while he had done justice to
the loyalty of Orangemen, he did not scrupple to express
his great regret at those festivals which were calculated
to raise a great deal of ill-feeling amongst people of
other religious denominations. Ho regretted also that
the ill-feeling which had been stirred up amongst
the people of Ireland by a portion of the Irish, who en-
tirely misrepresented the whole facts of the execution of
the three unfortunate men at Manchester. That execu-
tion was not carried out from any political feeling
but as the legal punishment of an unjustifiable,
breach of the peace, attended by murder, and it
demanded on the part of her Majesty's Government
a proper punishment. They had endavoured to exercise
that great prerogative of mercy, and they had done so in
the case of Burke, but it seemed to have no effect, and
perhaps the clemency exercised then was the production
of the evil that bad followed. With regard to the Act
regulating processions, it was not the wearing of a
green ribaud or any other that brought thepersons assem-
bled within the scope of the law. It was when a disturb-

ance was created, and they had not yet heard that such
had taken place at these processions, but if they did they
would be firmly repressed.

The Oonsolidated Fund Bill and the Income Tax Bill
were then read a first time.

The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS-LAST EVENING.

EDIJOATION OF THE WORKING CLASSES.

Lord RUSSELL moved that the house considered that
education in England and Wales ought to be ex-
tended and improved, and that the Parliament and
Government should aid in such extension, and that
the universities might be made more useful by
the removal of restrictions, and that a minister
of education should be appointed. His lordship was un-
derstood to say that many bills had been brought before
their lordships- for the amelioration of criminal matters,
but ho contended that such bills must be accepted with
examination, or rejected without discrimination if
the educational question was omittod from them.
He thought that no objection could be made to any of
these educational bills for the benefit of the poorer classes.
His lordship adverted to the want of educational ad-
vantages, and stated that 1,050,000 were left totally
unprovided for. With regard to the registers, it
was found that at St. George's, Hanover-Square,
the per centage of those married who could
not write was 3 per cent. ; at Gretna Green it was 34 per
cent. ; and generally throughout England and Wales it was
30 per cent. It was an enormity to allow children to go
out into the street uneducated, ignorant of the laws, and
consequently likely to commit crime. It was a disgrace
to have to punish these children, when no care
had been taken to implant an educational knowledge
in their minds. Prussia showed us an example of what
could be done with these schools. Many of them existed
in Scotland, and partially so in Ireland. Of course a
thoroughly organised system must be done by a local rate,
or by much more extensive grants from Parliament than
had yet been conferred. He thought that both
courses would have to be applied. Sir George Grey
had heard it said that the body who levied these local rates
ought to have a discussion as to how they were educa-
tionally applied. With regard to the plan of education he
thought that, although certificated masters ought not to
be evaded, yet others might, under certain circumstances,
be appointed. He also considered that the hours
might be reasonably dispensed with ; and Mr. Chadwick,
a great authority on the subject, was of the same
opinion. He now came to a very important point, that
was the adapting the revenues of the charitable endow-
ments to the advancement of education. These revenues
were, in the times when there was only one church in
England, employed for the purpose of education generally.
The noble earl then reverted to a number of historical
instances which, in his opinion, still justified their
application generally without regard to the
religious principles of the recipients of the advantages.
Therefore there should be a general education of the whole
people; it mattered not how the means were obtained,
either by local rata or Government grant. The opinion of
the Committee was that there should be a conscience
clause inserted in all educational arrangements, and that
the children of Dissenters entering National Schools
should be exempted frum any restriction as far as their re-
ligious principles were concerned. By introducing secular
schools he did not believe that they would abolish any
religious feeling. He did not speak without authority,
for Mr. Frazer, who had visited America, found
the American schools very excellent, because the whole
nation, with a thoroughly noble spirit, determine i that
there should be an universal system of education through-
out the land.

The Duke of MARLBOROUGH commented upon the
difficulty of replying to the noble earl, owing to the
circumstance that ho had not laid down any definite pro-
position. He thought the question WAS quits inopportune,
and that there was not sufficient time during the present
short session to deal with so important a matter. The
noble duke adduced numerous arguments to prove that the
calculations on which Earl Russell based his arguments
were fallacious. The number of schools which had re-
ceived grants could not be relied upon as showing the
progress education was making, because there were many
schools quite as efficient which received no Government
grant at all. Of course there were somo points which had
not been reached; there might be room fur improvement ;
but he contended that on the whole the progress of educa-
tion was rapidly spreading over all class.s of the com-
munity. Ha could not consent to the resolutions, and
therefore proposed the previous question.
After some further observations from Earl RUSSELL,
the previous question was carried, and their lordships ad-
journed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS (Tlll5 EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
The LORD-ADVOCATE took the oath and his seat for
Thetford.

CROWN PATRONAGE.
Mr. D. GRIFFITII asked the Government whether

was the imteution of the Government to advise the Crown
1,.0 confer a title of dignity on a gentleman who was for a
Short time a member of that house for the borough of
Andover, on account of his having vacated his seat in
order to provide a seat for one of the law officers of the
Crown.

Lord STANLEY said there was no intention to confer
any such dignity upon any gentleman. Such a use of the
patronage of the Crowu would be most improper, not to
say corrupt.