The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-06 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented in favour of and against
he Endowed Schools Bill.

NAVY.

On the motion of Mr. BRAND the following returns
were ordered :—Return of the number of screw ships and
vessels of her Majesty's navy afloat on the Ist day of
February in the years 1855 and 1858. Return of the ships
and vessels added to the navy between the 31st
day day of March, 1858, and the Ist day of June,
1859, distinguishing those which were added in accord-
ance with the general scheme of works for the year,
and those which were added in consequence of subsequent
orders ; and also of the frigates and sloops which would
have been launched according to the general scheme in
works for 1858-9, but which were deferred on account of
the men being removed to convert ships of the line. Return
of the sums voted, and of the sums expended for wages of
the dockyard in the years 1857.8, and 1858-9 ; showing in
the latter year the sum inserted in the original, in the re-
vised and supplemental estimate. _

ENDOWED SCHOOLS BILL.
Mr. DI LLWYN moved the second reading of this bill. The
hon. member having adverted to the importance of this sub-
ject as shown by the number of petitions presented from
every part of the country both for and against the bill, said
there were no less than 30,000 schools in the kingdom,
with an income of not much less than £1,500,000. He de-
nied that the bill proposed to wrest any legitimate power
from the Church of England to which it was justly entitled
in reference to scholastic endowments, and where the
wishes of the different founders, relative to religious and
seculis education were clearly expressly. To prove that
he had no views hostile to the State establishment, he men-
tioned that he did not approve the bill brought forward in
the House of Lords last session for the admissions Dissen-
ters to the trusteeship of these charitable foundations, be-
cause he did not see what right they had to enjoy such
trusts in all cases. He contended that in some cases the
church interfered improperly in enforcing attendance at
church on children attending these grammar schools, where
the founders had not specifically enjoined teaching in ac-
cordance with the Church of England. In many instances
it was provided that the Church of England doctrines
should be taught, and when there was no such provision it
was to be inferred that the founders did not feel strongly
in favour of any specific religious teaching. In illustration
of the case'with which these endowments were framed he
cited the instance of a grammar school in Winchester, in
which the founder directed that the schoolmaster should
not be a Welshman, a Scotchman, an Irishman, a foreigner,
or a north countryman, in order that scholars might not be
taught a vicious pronunciation. (Laughter.) He
next alluded •to the grammar school at Ilmin-
ster which had excited a considerable interest,
and which was the latest case relating to the sub-
ject at present. It appeared that the school in question
was founded by two persons ir the reign of Edward the
6th, who directed {hat the trust should be administered by.
God-fearing persons ; and for the last 150 years such trus-
tees were composed of Church of England members and
Dissenters. However, the matter was brought before the
Master of the Rolls by the vicar of the parish, and Sir
John Romilly decided that 15 trustees should be appointed,
12 of whom were to be members of the Church of England,'
and three Dipenters, increasing the latter to six. How-
ever, that decision was appealed against, and the Dissenters
were removed from the trust. He considered that that was
a state of things of which Dissenters had good reason to
complain. He maintained that they were bound to render
those institutions as beneficial for the purposes of education
as possible, and his bill merely proposed to admit Dissenters
to the benefits of these schools, except in such cases where they
were expressly left for the purposes of the members of the
' Church of England alone. The educational vote was a
very important item in the public expenditure, and of late
years had doubled by last year no less than £663,000, and
they should remember that the Dissenters were one-half of
the whole population. He would ask the house whether it
was politic, just, or in accordance with the spirit of reli-
gious freedom to exclude such a number of their fellow-
subjects, which, as a Protestant and warmly attached to
the interests of the Church, he deemed her Majesty's
Government? Th 6 hon. member concluded by an earnest
sal to the house to pass the bill.
air S. NORTHCOTE moved as an amendment that the
bill be read a second time this day three months. He
complimented the hon. mover on the temperate manner in
which he had brought the bill forward, but at the same
time he felt bound to oppose it, after careful attention to
the subject. He did not see how the bill could be operative,
considering the function which the Court of Chancery as-
sumed. He thought the measure was calculated to aet
very injuriously in different ways, and amongst
others it would give rise to mischievous litiga-
tion. The effect also would be that it would super-
sede one state of things without supplying any
substitute, and that it would secularise these grammar
schools. He contended, in conclusion, that the effect of the
bill would be to diminish the efficiency of the schools, and
,herefore inflict a material injury on the country.
•

Mr. BULLER opposed the bill. When an eironeus im
pression prevailed amongst Dissentefs that according to the
decision in the Court of Chancery, they were not
regarded by those tribunals as " honest men" in refer-
ence to these trusts, he was not surprised at the nutaber of
petitions presented in favour of this bll. The fact was this,
the Court of Chancery put a construction on a deed only
when there was any ambiguity in the expressions of the
founders, and when the construction of the language was as
close to the meaning of the words at the time of the drawing
up of the instrument as possible. He alluded to a speech
delivered by Mr. Mail, in which that gentleman stated that
the present measure would be a deadly blow at the State
Church, and made some remarks to show the feeling enter-
tained by Dissenters on the subject. He denied that in
interpreting a deed the Court of Chancery were influenced
by religious considerations, and maintained that they
were influenced solely by what they considered to be the
intention of the founder. However, it must be considered
that secular education without religion was imperfect, and
the Court of Chancery was bound to recognise as religious
instruction the teaching of a State Church. Such being
the case practically, there could be no perfect religious
equality so long as their was a State Church. This
bill proposed to extend the benefits of those founda-
tions, but would it have that effect—or would the substi-
tution of any other system of religion in these
schools prove more beneficial ? There was some
difference of opinion as to the number of Dissenters, but he
would assume that they were as numerous as they were
represented, still it could not be denied that the Church of
England was more numerous than any other sect in this
country. The result of the bill therefore would evetually
lead to the adoption of a secular education solely, and Vie
believed the great mass of dissenters would prefer the pre-
sent system to such an alteration.
[LEFT SPEARING.]

CARLISLE RACES-(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH•)

LOTTERY STAKES.—The following have paid forfeit
Howth, Little Agnes, Hegira, Trabuco, and Greystock.

NEWMARICET RACEs.—(THIS DAY.

[BY ELECTRIC sTELEGRIPII.]

LATEST BETTING.
CHESTERFIELD STAKES.
2to 1 agst Trovatore (offered)
9 to 4 agst Madame Eglantine (offered)
10 to 1 agst Seclusion (take 4,)

RACING FIXTURES FOR 1859.
JULY.
Pontefract 11 Nottingham July l9
Cambridge l2 Dowaham Market 21
Abingdon l2 Knutsford 21
Mansfield l2 Stan4ord 2l
Liverpool July 13 I Isle of Wight 2l
Lyndhurst l4 Marlborough 22
Hartlepool lB Goodwood 26

AUGUST.
Ripon
Brighton
Brighton Club 5 Ragdcliffe 23
Ulverston.
Lewes
Wolverhampton 8 Stockton 25
North Staffordshire . .. 9 Airdrie 25
Reading lO Lichfield 29
Wenlock
Plymouth 16 Totness and Bridgetown .. 30
York August l7 Derby Summer 3l
...

,
SEPTE
Weston Zoyland 2
Warwick
Cardiff
Rochester and Chatham 8
Doncaster 13
Dover ....
.. 15
Chesterfield .. l9

1113111 C.
Leicester
Monmouth
Manchester Autumn
Newmarket F.O
Brecon
Walsall

111ARYLEBONE ELECTION.—(This Day.

STATE OF THE POLL.
NINE O'CLOCK.

Fermoy ..
Lyon
..
Dickson ..

TEN O'CLOCK.

Fermoy
Lyon
Dickson

.. 1,157
.. .. 684
302

Two O'CLOCK.

Fermoy ..
Lyon ..
Dickson ..

.. .. .. 3,174
•• •• .. 1,712
.. .. .. 803

ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN.—At
generalmeaosnurthey meeting, on Monday last, William
monthly
rand vice-president, in the chair, Thos.
Hariin, Esq., M.A., James Meweather, Esq.,M.R.C.E.,
and James Watney, Esq., Were duly
elected members of
the Royal Institution. The presents received since the last
meeting were laid on the table, and the thanks of the mem-
bers returned for the same.
thepol e
Esq., treasurer
MANCHESTER TRADE REPORT.—MANCHESTER,
JULY 6.—A telegram of the 30th of May, from Calcutta,
received yesterday, reports the markets there as being very
much improved. As a consequence there is an extended
demand in this market for Indian yarns and cloths, and
prices are again a little higher. The home trade is some-
what improved, and as increased demand is evident. The
Germans are more disposed to purchase than they Nape
been for some time.
•