The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-08 00:00:00

MR. A. 11. LAYARD, M.P., ON RAGGED

S CH 0 0 1 S.

On the occasion of opening the St. Mary (South-
wark) New Ragged School last evening, a public
meeting was held in the school-room, which was
numerously attended, and was presided over by
A. H. Layard, M.P.,the newly-elected member for
the borough. The schools are situated in Parker's-
place; Bermondsey New-road, and are capable of
accommodating over 300 children. The proceed-
ings were opened with prayer.

Mr. LAYARD then addressed the meeting, and
stated that it afforded him the greatest pleasure
that on the first occasion of his attending a meet-
ing of his constituents after his election it should
have been in so good a cause and under such in-
teresting circumstances. The foundation of society
was that large swarming mass of the community in
the lower walks of life which in point of numbers
formed a hundred to one of the higher classes, and
consequently if that superstructure were based on a

ass of crime, and ignorance, and vice, the upper
classes of society could not be considered as safe.
The condition of this class of the community
affected the taxation of the country, for so long as
they were allowed to remain in a state of ignorance
and crime, so long would the taxes of the country
be increased for the purpose of punishing such
crime, and therefore the best and most legitimate
course was to prevent that crime, and the public
expenditure attending it, by the spread of
knowledge, and thereby raising the lower orders
from the depths of degradation into which they had
sunk. (Hear, hear.) It was an interesting fea-
ture, and a circumstance which perhaps many of
those present might not be aware of, that the first
attempt at the establishment of ragged schools in
this country was made in the borough of South-
wark. In 1792 a ragged school was established in
the Mint, by Mr. Burchett, but so little interest was
at that time taken in them, that at the first meet-
ing called in connection with that school, only four
persons attended, and the whole sum subscribed
only amounted to four guineas. Happily, how-
ever, better success was now attending them,
and the work which Mr. Burchett had commenced
was now proceeding with great efficiency and bene-
fit. (Hear.) He rejoiced that it was so, for while
he would be the last man to cry down or impugn
the policy of sending missions to the heathen, and
for the conversion of other sects to Christianity,
still he would say that they had a duty to perform
at home infinitely greater and more important than
any they had abroad, and if they appropriated, he
would not say one half, but one tenth of the sums
they sent abroad for missionary purposes to the
education and advancement of their poorer country-
men at home, they would soon see them rise mate-
rially in the scale of social and political progress.
(Hear.) In a place like Southwark no doubt a
great many of the children of the lower orders
followed a seafaring life, and if they had seen, as
he had, the bad effects which the bad habits and
wicked conduct of our seamen when in foreign ports
had upon the population, they would see the neces-
sity of instilling into the minds of such as followed
that occupation the truths of Christianity and the
propriety of good conduct. They heard a good deal
of talk about Reform in Parliament, but let them
first endeavour to reform the people. Teach them
to know religion, their duty to God and man, the
wickedness of sin, and the terrible consequences
which a persistence in it would lead to. These were
things which they must teach people before they
gave them political rights. He had been often
asked whether he would support manhood
suffrage, but could any one do so under such a
state of matters as this ? (Hear.) He was one of
those who wanted to see every man placed in the
full possession of political rights ; but unless he
had the power to distinguish between good and
evil, were the right to exercise such power put into
his hands, what guarantee had they that he would
not exercise it in a manner dangerous to the State
and to the interests of the community ? (Hear,
hear.) He believed, however, that ragged schools
would do much to remedy this state of things,
and he was glad to see that they were in such
good working order in that borough. (Hear.)
He had no doubt that they would continue
to prosper, and that next year, when he hoped to
have the pleasure of again meeting them in that
place he was sure that the committee would be able
to give a good account of their stewardship. (Loud
cheers.)

Several other addresses were then delivered, and
the proceedings closed with an enthusiastic vote of
thanks to Mr. Layard for his kindness in presiding.