The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-09 00:00:00

have done something. By an undue exercise of their
power they have paved, the way for reducing it.
The attempt of a party in the city to get into their
own hands the representation of the county of
CuMberland has induced both Mr. Manning and
Mr. Darnall to moderate their attachment to open
voting, and to express a doubt whether it will not
be absolutely necessary to have recourse to the
ballot, in order to preserve the constituencies from
the tyranny of the Bunch.—Morning Herald.

THE ROOKY RIVER.
The Northern Escort arrived in Maitland on
Sun,lay last, with 3,300 ounces of gold. This is a
very gratifying quantity, the diggers this trip hav-
ing had ample time and information to avail them-
selves of the escort, which unluckily was not the
case before.—Maitland Mercury.

THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY.
The Sydney University, now in course of erection
at Grose Farm, is intended to be a quadrangu•
lar building, having apartments on three sides,
and, an ornamental iron railing and gates on
the fourth. The court thus enclosed will be
about three hundred feet long and two hun-
dred feet wide, with a cloister running round
three sides. It is also expected that the centre of
the court will be occupied by a large reservoir of
water, supplied from the works at Botany for the
service•of that pad t of the city—uniting thereby the
useful and the ornamental. The principal front,
looking towards the town, is four hundred and ten
feet long, and has a central tower one hundred feet
high over the main-entrance ; on the western side
of this tower are the official rooms for the Provost,
Registrar, Senate, Porters, are., and at the extreme
west is the hall. On the eastern side of the tower are a
range of lecture-rooms and their ante-rooms, &c.,
and at thp extreme east is the laboratory, museum,
instrument room, &c. The eastern side has a range
of lecture-rooms similar to those in the front, and
communicating with the laboratory and museum.
The extreme south of this side is occupied by the
library, with an open ambulatory behind. The
western side comprises the hall, the Registrar's
house, and offices.—Morning Herald.

STONEY CREEK.
The correspondent of the Empire at these dig-
gings writes :—" The miners in this district are
gralually spreading over a very large tract of coun-
try, and every day proves the almost unbounded
of otrniirirl over which gold is scattered in
the neighbourhood. The grew
want of water, many places being quite unworkable
except for a few days after a heavy thunder-
shower. To new comers, the scattered workings
are quite bewildering, and until a man becomes a
little accustomed to the place he is not likely to
have much confidence in it. Although there are
no instances of extraordinary luck to be recorded,
the success of the miners as an average is most sa-
tisfactory, and very large quantities of the pre-
cious metal find their way to the hands of the
storekeepers. The tranquillity and order which
have ruled here for the past few weeks have been
disturbed by a gang of desperadoes, lately arrived
from the Woolshed. These worthies have been
nightly sticking-up on the various roads, besides
carrying on their operations in tent robberies very
briskly. On Friday night last two of the villains
entered the tent of a miner named Draper, who had
retired to rest, and one of thel presenting a brace
of pistols at Draper's bead, demanded his money.
The man resisted and was aided in the struggle by
his wife, when the thief fired one of the pistols in
Draper's face, so close that he was burnt by the
powder, the bill, however, passed without striking
either the man or his wife ; and assistance arriving,
the marauderwas captured and detained till morning,
when he was handed over to the care of the autho-
rities. His companion escaped, but has subse-
quently been taken.

LIVERPOOL, FRB. 8.
From a New York paper of the 24th ult., with
which Mr: Court, of the Underwriters-rooms, bas
favoured lig, we learn that the steamship James
Auger had arrived at New York from San Juan,
which place she left on the 13th ult.
The English steamship Trent and six English
screw verses of war—three being gunboats—were
at Aspinwall.

Walker was reported to be in a better condition
than ever, and to have 1,200 ablebodied mei at
Rivas, well supplied with provisions and ammuni-
tion, while at Punta Arenas was a body of nearly
300 men under Colonel Longbridge, who intended
to attack the Costa Ricans at Castillo and San
Carlos, and retake the river, as soon as he had the
means of transportation ; for this he depended upon
a steamer Mr. Scott expected to have in readiness
by the 17th ult.

SIR J. PAKINGtTON ON NATIONAL

EDUCATION.

On Friday last a public meeting, convened by the
General Committee of Education in Manchester and
Salton), was held in the Free-trade Hall. The chair
was taken by Mr. T. Bazley, and 'amongst those upon
the platform were Sir J. S. Pakington, Bart., M.P.
Sir J. P. Kay Shuttlaworth, Bart. ; Messrs. E. R. Le
Mare, W. R. Wood, Professor F. C. Calvert, J. C.
Harter, J. F. Bateman, Alderman Harvey, William
En twiPle

Sir J. S. PAKINGTON, M.P. (who was loudly cheered),
thanked the audience for their cordial reception of him,
and especially because—although he believed, with the
courtesy and kindness of Englishmen, they would give a
warm welcome to a personal stranger—he believed they
were also animated by other and stronger feelings, and
that they appreciated in a public man, honest, straight-
forward, c mscientious endeavours to remove a great
national evil. (Hear, hear.) He believed also that
they were animated by the feeling that, although the
question of national education was one which touched
every home in England, it was especially the question
involving the interests and welfare of the working man.
He readily acceded to the request of the committee, over
whom the chairman so worthily presided, to attend this
meeting, and, being here, he confessed that he should
have been very sorry not to have taken some part in the
proceedings, if it were only to bear his testimony to the
ability and judgment' with which the resolutions submitted
to the meeting had been drawn up, and to the eloquence,
talent, and good feeling with which they had been advo-
cated and supported. It was only three months since
be explained, at very great length, in Manchester, his
reasons for believing that legislative interference was
essential to relieve the great mass of the people of this
country from the difficulty under which they stood at
present, with respect to the benefits of education, and
therefore his address now should not detain them long.
He was not forgetful of the advantages which had ac-
crued to the country from the efforts of the committee
of council, nor was he unmindful of the benefits which
had been derived from voluntary exertion and individual
benevolence; but, as he bad contended in Manchester,
and in the House of Commons, he still held that, praise-
worthy and valuable as those efforts were, they were in-
sufficient—that the present system was precarious, fitful,
and not to be depended upon ; and that if the character
of the masses of this country was to be raised, if the
benefits of national education were to be enjoyed in
England, as they are in the other civilised nations of
world, the interference of the Legislature was indispens-
ably necessary. He would not repeat the arguments
which he had so lately used in this city, nor even the
strong statements with regard to the state of affairs in this
locality which he then adduced. Those statements as to
the want of better means of education throughout Eng-
land remained uncontradicted. Two years ago he made
statements in the House of Commons which for the first
time laid hare before Parliament the real state of the na-
tional deficiencies in this respect. He was told that he
had exaggerated ; but he had foreseen that objection, and
taken care to make no statement for which he did not
name the authority, which in a majority of instances was
official and unquestionable. Among others who charged
him with exaggeration at that time was Lord John Rus-
sell, but last year when the noble lord was the mover of
resolutions on this subject before the House, with a
frankness and generosity for which he (Sir J. Pakington)
felt personally and deeply indebted to him, he admitted
that further investigation had proved that he was mis-
taken, and that every statement he (Sir J. Pakington)
had made was strictly borne out by facts. (Hear, hear.)
The facts were now therefore admitted. And why was it
that civilised, Christian, boasted England bad so long
been suffered to remain under this national disadvanteS
One reason was, because no organised sufficient mode
c dlectie g those funds which were indispensable feodru tcla,
e
promotion of anything like an organised system of
with
tion had ever been resorted to. But in
i connectioneh he would this came the greater difficulty, beimen.
known as " the religious difficulty.
ad-
dress himself for a few moments, and whichad
better national system,
constantlyhad
naiad really anxious to arrive at
and had inspired many a
petted every effort to resort to a .
adopted. This difficulty had
of any national systemact that in England the people were
better things with a feeling of despair as to the possibility
proceeded from the
unhappily
tions had naturally felt a difficulty
the various denomina
divided into different forms of Christianity, and
their in -
denominations. The result of this
with regard to the training of childrenschools
belonging to other
long-felt difficulty was theformation of the party known
theas secular party, the bead-quarters of which, he be-
lieved
ho might say, had existed in this great city.
(Hear, hear.) While on the one hand all the religious
denominations had insisted upon their children having
the blessings of religious education, others equally anxious
to disseminate those blessings, felt that so impossible was
it to reconcile the denominations and to bring them into
co-operation for the training of their children in the
same schools, that it would be better to banish religious
teaching from the schools altogether, and to establish
schools upon a secular system. And what was the secular
system 3 It had already been remarked that it had been
greatly misunderstood ; and such was undoubtedly the
case. An impression prevailed in the country that the
secular party was opposed to giving religious instruction
to the youth of England. Was there such a party In
existence ? (Cries of " No, no.") He believed there was
not. If there was a party that would deprive the youth
of the country of that first and greatest point of ingtrue
tion, and that believed it was possible to train really good
men and good citizens with impressing upon thhe youth-
fuly
mind the all-importance of religion ; with that par t
he had no sympathy—he could have no oommumoupsvith

them, and he would have no united action with the.
I (Applause.) But this was not the character of the secu-
llar party. If he rightly understood the meaning and
objects of that party, it was this :—They valued religious
instruction as much as the religious party ' • but they
said that the school was not the place nor the school-
' secularfwmo irateshete iir n t
.attn hhdiesThe religiousma n for its teaching. (Hear, hear.) Can-
dour and frankness must admit that there was great
view;bu
differencet
p,aurpt
ioeti upon theewn between
sw hnoolte,
shoe
thedmiduenhs one coot.aagllre
ofaee
principle, as of time, manner, and place. Then might
Its not, as an advocate of national instruction, ask if the
time was not come when such a difference should no
longer impede a great national object ? (Hear, hear,
and applause.) Previous to his visit to Manchester is
November, he received a communication from that dis-
tinguished man to whom reference had already been
made—he meant Mr. Cobden—suggesting to him, as he
would have an opportunity of communicating with the
leafing members of both the educational bodies in this
city, to undertake the task of putting an end to the un-
happy differences and finding a common ground upon
which all might unite. When he addressed the audi-
ence which did him the honour to listen to him at that
time, be stated the opinion which be had long enter-
tained, that, although the difficulty might ' be great,
it wax not insuperable. When be proposed a con-
ference, in' consequence of what was suggested by
Mr. Cobden, some three or four gentlemen were
deputed from each side. On the day after he deli-
vered his address they meet in conference, and he was
not going too far when he said that this great difficulty
which had puzzled and perplexed England for years, and
which, again and again, had been pronounced to be in-
superable, was solved by seven or eight gentlemen, in a
discussion that did not occupy two hours. (Applause.)
There was nothing connected with the part he had
taken in connection with this subject upon which he
reflected with such heartfelt satisfaction, and which he
felt to be so great a reward for any efforts he had made,
as the part he took in bringing together those contend-
ing. partiee. (Hear.) But he could have done little or no•. thing in the matter, but for the calm, temperate, judici-
ous, and admirable spirit in which those gentlemen ap-
proached the discussion. (Applause.) The ground they
had taken was founded upon the principle of religious
freedom. The basis they had adopted was as simple as
possible. It was, that hereafter the conductors of every
school should teach religion as they thought right—
that there should be no interference with the teaching
of religion according to their belief ; save only the indis-
pensable requirement, that no man's conscience should be
violated, but that the most perfect respect should be had
for the religious scruples of every parent whose child or
children might attend the school. (Hear, hear.) He be-
lieved in his conscience that the plan which by this bill
they were about to recommend to the adoption of the
Legislature was one which every friend of education—
the most rigid secularist, ana th6rnon religious and con-
scientious clergyman—might conscientiously and cordi-
ally adopt. (Hear, bear.) But he might perhaps be
allowed to give a word of counsel to each side of the now
united party. To his secular friends he would say, Now
that party differences had passed away and they would
have not to contend with opponents, but to seek after the
truth, and the soundest mode of accomplishing a great ob-
ject —that if they trusted to the Sunday school and to
home teaching for the religious instruction of the school
children, his belief was that in the one they were trust-
ing to hat was not sufficient— (hear, hear)—and that if
they trusted to hbme teaching they must be thinking
rather of the homes to which they themselves be-
longed—(hear, hear)—than of those comfortless, and too
often wretched, homes from which the children of the
humbler classes came. (Hear, hear.) To the other side
he would say, that their religious teaching would be ut-
terly thrown away—that they would be sowing seed in
an unproductive soil—unless the secular teaching of the
schools of England was raised to a higher standard than
it had yet attained (Hear, bear, and applause.) In
following out to legislation this happy concord between
hitherto contending parties, it had been desired (and he
thought rightly) by the gentlemen connected with the
secular scheme, that the name of Mr. Cobden should
he associated with his own upon the bill. (Appl-tuse.)
He was deeply sorry that at that moment Mr. Cobden
was not beside him upon the platform—(hear, bear)—
and still- more sorry was he for the domestic distress
which he feared was the reason of Mr. Cobden's
absence. (Hear, hear.) One branch of the subject
had been brought strongly under their notice by the
letter which had been read from Mr. Cobden—the
conncotion often dwelt upon,• but never more than at
present, between ignorance and crime ; and he
(fir J. Pakington) would warn them against a reasoning
of which he had lately read much in the public prints,
telling the peon:e et England not to trust to education
for toe correction of crime—that it was not trustworthy
for that object. The reasoning was supported by stating
the well-known and undeniable fact that many of the
greatest criminals were educatedmen. (Hear, hear.) lie
hoped the people of England would not be led away by
this fallacious reasoning. No man who was conversant
with our courts of justice, who knew anything of
the state of our criminal population, or the state of
the inmates of the gaols, could doubt for a moment,
with reason, that a vast proportion of those who
were led into crime were so led by the state of debasing
ignorance in which they had been allowed to live. He
was ready to co-operate heart and hand with Mr. Cob-
den in the promotion of this measure. It had been his
fate in public life to differ from Ml. Cobden upon ques-
tions of great importance ; and it might be his fate to do
so again. He did not come here to retract opinions.
(Hear.) The part he had taken in public life had been a
part honestly and conscientiously adopted ; and when
he had differed from Mr. Cobden he bad done so only as
honest men might differ in the road they would take to
attain a common end. Such as the principles of his
public life had been, such they now remained ; for he
' was sure that a Manchester audience would not respect
hint if he condescended to hold any other language—
(hear, hear)--but, on the other band, be should be
yielding to unworthy prejudices if be were to allow this
difference to influence him or prevent his co-operating
with Mr. Cobden, at a moment when that gentleman
was willing to do so with him. (Hear, hear.) He -
thanked Mr. Cobden for his patriotic feeling on this
subject, in promoting an object upon which there was
no difference between them, but upon which they were
equally anxious. As a Conservative, he thought it
essential that the -youth of England should be trained
to understand the value of those institutions which he
was anxious to preserve, and Mr. Cobden, as a lAteral,
would tell him that that would be a false and spurious
liberality which would not recognise as the first
article in its creed the elevation of the character of
our countrymen. (Applause.) He could see no reason
why he should not co-operate with those who were op-
posed to him in public life, when they could meet upon
this one great question, which ought not to be the sub-
ject of party difference ; and whilst he saw no reason
against it, he saw thisstrong obvious reason in its favour
that, whether they looked to the effect in Parliament or
in the country, the moral effect must and would be great,
of seeing men of opposite parties in public life tasting
aside party watchwords and party entanglements, and
consenting to act together for a great object, which all
parties deemed important in its relation to the welfare
and well-being of the people. It was, therefore, ani-
mated by these grounds that they were about to intro-
duce a bill the history and objects of which had been ex-
plained. It was incomplete, he admitted ; permissive, not
compulsory ; local, and not general ; but in the present
state of political feeling, the part of wise politicians was
to gain what they could, and, if the measure was not
extensive, they must remember that the principles it in-
volved were of importance. (Hear.) Let them once
have those principles upon the statute book, and he pre-
dicted that it could not, would not, be long before the
operation of them should be extended to the whole coun-
try. What were those principles? Did they value that
of religious freedom ? Then support the system under
which every school should be free to choose that religion ,
which the conductors thought right, and under which no
man's conscience should be violated. Did they value the
principle of kcal self-government? Then support the mea-
sure which would confer the administration of local finds
upon a local body, and would resist the centralising ten-
dency of administering a gigantic fund by an adminis-
trative department of the State. (Applause.) Did that
value the education of the youthful
country ? Then let them not grudge the paytmeemn arco for
as honest, patriotic men, it was their dutyt
they
would
that great object, and for which generationt ofhfch:
and good a cheap .
their neighbours, and in having
These were the objects and
educa-
tion brought to their doors.
contended—sound religion,
reap a rich reward in seeing the improvedpaymen condition of
principles for which the
character.
Lwas
a upon the support they received ; and
which depended upon
taouppeoort the great
°Which, with
people of this great and flourishing
local administration,
highandyatthhaed elevation
ht holy
yrea u s
eo:f
the the national
suncaactnei
success
aotorl
they appealed to the
eh,emto
the country a
such assistance, would, be hoped and believed, be
such
ere long triumphant. (Loud applause.)
city, and throtughlargt

THE ItOTAL BRITISH BANK.
During the last fortnight communications have
been constantly going on between the committee of
the shareholders of the Royal British Bank and the
committee of depositors. On Friday evening at a
full conference between these two bodies, the ac-
companying resolutions were unanimously passed.
By the plan of compromise now adopted a way of
deliverance is opened to the shareholders, and it is
hoped that an end will be put to the fearful litiga-
tion tion which has been going on for some time pas
the injury of both.
e to pay
through their committee, proposo anda
of 6s. 6d.
The shareholders of the Royal British Bank,
to the creditors of the bank a compositionin the pound
in the pound by two instalmers—in
the pound on
on the 2d of March, and 3s.hed
creditors to receive
the 17th of April next ;
due to them from the
in discharge of the
5(10",
per share made by the di-
such dividends beyond
bank. The call oenforceddebts
the
after the acceptance of
rectors not to be
the offer by the general body of creditors, and no
proof to be made against the estate in bankruptcy,
„ v deposit or claim by a shareholder.
The details of
ill respect of -Ais agreement to be agreed 011 be
solicitors of the
en the
. of committeerespectively.
tweand
the committee depositors
Chan_
ersThat it is desirable that a receiver in so
should be appointed, if practicable,
idco
of sharehold
eery
and •-
to
ed to execute
asthat all the creditors should be reTurwhether such
afford protection to the shareholders,
a lease to all the shareholders ; but
to pay the appointment be made, or release
the shareholders pledge themselves
d in the pound, as
Cre-
ditors the composition of 6 •
resolutions,
mentioned iu the foregoing r vosbtained, or not,