The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-26 00:00:00

31r. Cousin had written a book. What the petitioners called
upon their lordships and the Government to do was to give
to the middle classes the advantages which the upper classes
enjoyed without any interference, and which the working
classes had obtained under the system adopted by the Com-
mittee of Council. According to a calculation which he had
made, founded upon the incmoe-tax returns and those of
the registrar-general, it was probable that there were in the
country about 1,200 middle-class schools, and what was de-
sired was that these establishments should be placed under
the superintendence and care of the Committee of Council;
that was, that any master of such a school might apply to
that committee to have his school inspected, and if upon in-
spection its condition was found satisfactory, he should re-
ceive a certificate. Such certificates would have all the value
of an academic degree, and would encourage those who had
become schoolmasters to perform their duties efficiently, and
induce others to undertake the task of tuition. Another
point of great importance was the supply of good school-
mistresses. At present the most serious consequences resulted
from the inefficiency of female teachers ; and there could be
no doubt if they were improved that young women would
become better wives and mothers. The insufficiency of edu-
cation was, unfortunately, greatest in those districts where
it was most wanted. The defect in the large towns was
greater than in the country districts in the proportion of 13
to 11. In the metropolis it was greatest of all. Of course,
anything like compulsion would be utterly out of the ques-
tion, still less was it consistent with sound policy or with
true religion to make any advantage dependent on any
man's faith. Persecuted truth would always lift its head
more loftily and suceeed more certainly, but to persecute
error was often to delay its downfal. (Hear, hear.)
The Bishop of LINCOLN thought that a sounder edu-
cation was given to the poorer classes in these inspected
schools than could be commanded in many of the middle-
class commercial schools. No doubt a great many of the
masters of these commercial schools were very able men,
but it had often been remarked in his hearing by persons
belonging to the middle classes—farmers for instance—that
though they paid a good price for the education of their
children, they doubted whether they always received full
value for their money. It would be of considerable advan-
tage to this class of schools if they could be placed in some
way or otherunder Government inspection. The Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer, under present circumstances, would
very likely object to any considerable addition to the edu-
cation grant for this purpose ; but a small sum each year
would in course of time probably obtain all that was de-
aired. Of course it would be impossible to use anything
like compulsion; but it would be found that many school-
masters would offer their schools for inspection in
order that by gaining tt certificate they might place them
in a better position ; and other schoolmasters, by the force
of competition, would gradually be obliged to put them-
selves under inspection in the same way. The right rev.
prelate concluded by expressing his concurrence in the re-
marks of the noble and learned lord on the subject of female
education.

Earl GRANVILLE said he was quite sure that the ex-
penditure of large sums of money, if economically and effi-
ciently applied in the education of the people, would be an
absolute saving to the country, because education tended
materially to maintain order and peace. Some eminent men
held that while it was the duty of the State to educate the
labouring classes for the sake of the peace and order of the
country, it was not so much the duty of the State to inter-
fere with the education of the higher or the middle classes.
He admitted that the instruction given in some of the mid-
dle-class schools was very much inferior to that given in
the national schools, but he should be unwilling to impose
upon the Committee of Council on Education the additional
labour of superintending the management of the schools of
the middle classes.

After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the discussion
terminated.

The Speaker of the Legislative Council (Canada) Bill,
and the North-Western Territories (British America) Bill,
went through committee.

Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to, and the bills were read a third
time :—Merthyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway,
Monntsorrel Railway, Somerset Central Railway, Vale of
Llangollen. Railway (by opposing party), Wear Navi-
gation and Sunderland Docks, Wirral Water, Lon-
don and North-Western Railway (Denton to Staly-
bridge), Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Liffey
Branch, &c.), Dublin and Wicklow Railway, Sunderland
Dock (No. 2), Eastbourne Water, Midland Great Western
Railway of Ireland (Sligo Extension), Tottenham and
Edmonton Gas, and North Staffordshire Railway.
The following bills were read a second time :—Earl of
Kintore's Estate, and Liverpool Sanitary Amendment.