The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-09 00:00:00

MR. FORSTER; M.P., ON EDUCATION,

SPIRIT, OP TEE PITBLIO JOITENALEL

'Apropos to the disclosures contained in the Caledonian Mr. Goldwin Smith and Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., were
Railway report, the Times contends that no real good can the chairman and principal speaker at the third of a series
ever be accomplished until railway proprietors have of meetings now being held in St. James's Hall, under the
thoroughly convinced themselves that "capital" is only auspices of the Reform League, for the political education
the " revenue "of years to come, and that what is " car- of the people. Nothwithstanding the extreme inclemency
ried to capital " is, in point of fact, left to be paid out of of the weather, there was a large and respectable audience.
their future dividends. Hitherto they have proceeded, Amongst those present were Mr. C. Gilpin, M.P., Mr.
and have encouraged their directors to proceed, on the Beales, Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., &c.
assumption that " capital" meant some independent Mr. FORSTER was inclined to agree with the opinions
fund distinct from revenue, which ought in all fairness expressed by Mr. Bruce last year, that half the children
and propriety to bear its proportion of the expenses of the of the working classes in England were uneducated. (Hear,
line. The idea, indeed, has refined into a system, hear.) Mr. Mundella had shown that the contrast between
and a species of arithmetical casuistry has been die• the working men in the lace and hosiery trades of Saxony
vised for the settlement of such cases of financial and those of Nottingham in point of education, is
conscience. Revenue ought to pay for repairs, but capi- most humiliating to England, although the Englishmen
tal ought to pay for rendwals, or, if not merely for re• have a natural intellect higher than the others. Of 8,000
newals, at any rate for the difference between the new children employed in cotton factories in the North of
work and the original. If, for instance, a railway bridge England it was found that only sixty-three per cent. can
had been built of wood, and when rebuilt had hoer. butt read. Thanks to the Factory '-irger proportion can
of iron, it was right and fair to carry to capital the dif • read then than elsewhere. Out, more than 2,000 cliil-
ference of value between a new wooden bridge and a new dren in the ironwerks and pottery districts of Stafford-
iron bridge. Similarly, if in the material of rails iron bad shire, who have no Factory Act, though they ought to
been replaced by steel, the cost of steel over iron should be have, only 22 per cent. can road. (Murmurs.) Taking
charged to capital ; and the Caledonian accountants older persons: In Manchester, out of 10,000 young per-
actually excuse as undoubtedly harsh awl unprecedented eons, from 12 to 20 years of age, rather more than half could
their resolution of placing such expeediture to the charge not read. The time had therefore come in which, as Mr.
of revenue. These are but specimens of the discrimine- Samuelson in his excellent paper said, we must try and
tions which have been introduced, yet they will, perhaps, fasten upon the parish the responsibility of seeing that
mace to give the public an insight into the nature the inhabitants of that parish are educated. The district
of railway accounts, and of the proposals which have ouglitnot altogether to pay for it ; but there is this to be said,
been made in the way of reform. It is urged that that an education rate would save poor rate and county
some " uniform system" should be adopted, end that rate. It would be assisted by a grant out of the central
a Government audit should give security for its fund. Speaking of London, however, there is an unfair
observance. This, it is conceived, would place all com- system of rating altogether. (Applause.) The Londoner
panics upon a level ; and no doubt it might do so, but should be made to understand that he cannot escape the
what would the result be worth ? It would prevent one burdens of London because he -lives in a particular part of
company from getting advantage over another by declaring the, town. While a purely central system would be
a larger dividend when such dividend had not been dangerous because it would be so curebrous that it could
earned, but it would leave the true dividends of all corn- not be carried out, a purely local system would in some
panics as uncertain as before. So long as expenses are cases be such that it would be of no use ; but for the local
carried to capital instead of being charged to revenue, so rate to receive central aid and inspection would be most
long will railway dividends represent partly borrowed iconsistent with English traditions and English principles.
money, anel partly only real earnings. It is absurd to As to the religious part of the question, he would give
produce as'general profits available for distribution a sum freedom to a parent to withdraw his child from any secta-
of money which, more or less, has been raised by loan. rian teaching ; and while he would not forbid secular
It is so absurd that, sooner or later, such a system must schools, he certainly would not forbid theology. He, in

destroy itself, as it has actually dom.; in the case of more
than one company. There comes a time when capital can
carry no more—that is, when no more money can be
borrowed on the security of future revenue—and then the

fact, would allow a conscience clause, such as is at present
in operation in a school at Hoxton. As to whether the parent
should pay or the schools be free he had only half made up
his mind, and would rather leave the question open ; but

system must needs end, but, unfortunately, dividends end
with it.

he believed that as the middle and higher classes would pay
more rates than the poor, the schools would not remain

The Post, after mature consideration, is convinced that
a great deal too much has always been claimed by its ad-
mirers for constitutional government in France. But the
truth is, it was by no means a happy or well-conducted ex-
periment. It is doubtful whether a government of the
middle classes could ever become popular among French-
men ; but, if this should be the case at some future period,
it must be administered upon very different principles to
those which guided the Cabinets of the Citizen King.
It is quite painful to remember the widely spread
political corruption which existed in French Minis-
terial circles between the years 1830 and 1848,
and the scandals which were constantly coming
out in the most unexpected quarters. All ideas
of liberty, except so far as the press was concerned, was
the merest imposture. The Chambers were packed, and
the electoral system unsound throughout. The machinery
of government was an overgrown bureaucracy. The
material prosperity of the kingdom, upon which so much
stress bas been laid by the Orleanists, will not bear close
examination, an(' Franc.; has advanced infinitely farther
in civilisation, enlightenment, and solid wealth under the
Empire than ever she did under the l‘fonarehy.

elementary, but would have to include all branches, as in
America. (Applause.) He trusted also that with regard
to endowments the clever child of a poor man would be
allowed to have his abilities fully developed. There is
only one case out of a thousand where a man is fitted to
spring out of his class ; but when that does cccur he should
have the opportunity of doing it through our endowed
schools, and he would also say through our universities.
(Applause.) He admitted that there are some parents
who would rather not send their children to school at all,
but would have them to beg or to steal. While he would
SO enlarge the Factories Act as to sweep up the children
of the manufacturing and agricultural classes, he would
so increase the stringency of Vagrant Acts and the num-
ber of ragged schools as to take in those outcasts also.
What hope was there of getting this? Much more
than there was some time ago. (Hear, hear.) If he has
anything to do with an education bill this year, he will
not propose so extremely moderate a measure as that of
Mr. Bruce last year, permitting a district to educate, but
will go so far as to say the district ought to do it, and must
be made to educate. (Hear, hear.) Radical as lam (said
Mr. Forster, amid loud applause), I am in some measure
hopeful, because we have a Tory Government. One or
two members have shewn they understand education,
and do not participate in the ordinary prejudices
against it. Sir John Pakington and Lord Stanley
have shewn, though it must have been a sacrifice to
them to do it, that they are in advance not only of
their own, but of some other parties. We want the school-
master everywhere ; but we have got a schoolmaster in
Downing-street now. We have got a gentleman who is edu-
cating his party. (Laughter.) Well, Heaven knows they ,
wanted educating, and it may be expected that he will
teach them something in this matter. It is quite true
there have been men in the Tory party who have given
great assistance in popular education ; but, generally
speaking, they have been exceedingly fearful and exceed-
ingly jealous of any change that should make education
complete. If Mr. Disraeli succeeds in teaching them
the necessity for that, there will be no Opposi.
tiou to deal with. There will be indirect aid from
Mr. Lowe and his friends, because, although no one class
is master over the other, it might be well that Mr. Lowe
should think so, in order to gain his great talents to the
spread of their cause. It was a great mistake of his to
mix the working classes and the dangerous classes to-
gether. By the dangerous classes is meant men who
endeavour to get their living by begging or stealing.
There is no part of the population to whom this class is so
dangerous as to the honest working man. There have been
in this city lately attempts against law and order. Who
have stepped forward to denounce those attempts ?
the working men themselves. Without law and order
they could not live. Surely, then, they would help to root
the dangerous classes out. How ? By getting hold of
their children and not letting them become dangerous
classes. (Loud applause.)
Mr. BEALES moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Forster
which was seconded by Mr. GrerrN, M.P.
Mr. FORSTER replied, and proposed a vote of thanks to
the chairman, who, he was glad to hear, was not about to
cease to be an Englishman, and who would be very useful
in Parliament if he were not most useful in aiding that
public opinion which in the approaching fusion of classes
must rule the country.
Mr. STANSFELD seconded the motion, saying that what.
was wanted in the House of Commons was men of letters
and culture who had sympathy with the people's cause,
and such a man they found in the chairman. The motion
was adopted with applause.
Mr. GOLDWIN SMITH believed the great work in which
Mr. Forster and others were engaged to be nothing less
than a reconstruction of our institutions. (Cheers.) He
would also take this opportunity of expressing his
humble tribute of gratitude to Mr. Beaks, as president
of the Reform League. The Reform League had done great
work already, and should go on and secure a final and
complete triumph of national government over the govern-
ment of class. Education would prevent intimidation,
and would guard against corruption ; because, however
sordid a man might be, he would see what a really popular
government would give him, and would have the prudence
to spurn a bribe. He was convinced they onl.t to give
strength to local institutions, and that, while religious
feeling in education should be encouraged as the highest
motives of duty, sectarianism, that great obstacle to united
eucation, should be avoided. (Cheers.)

The Dai'y News trusts its American friends will no.e
think it prejudiced if it points out that the Prussian and
the Irish grievances are of a character wholly distinct.
In, the former case the emigrant desires to cast off bis
original citizenship at once and for ever. The ties of blood
or of business, or the purposes of recreation or pleasure,
may, indeed, lead him to revisit his native land, but he
does so as one having no longer a personal interest in it.
He does not seek to vote in the election of it., legislature
he does not agitate for a change of policy or of govern-
ment ; he is by his own choice, and in actual fact, in the
position of a foreigner to ali its domestic concerns aen
institutions. But the Irish emigrant does not in the -leat
desire thus to discard his nationality in Ireland. ne
comes back to revindicate it. His object is to share
in all the rights of Irish citizenship, and to extend them
still further, and his means are the levying of we.r
against the Government of Ireland in order to substitute
a Government of his own choosing. It is plain that here
the most essential element in considering the justice and
the reason of the claim made is diametrically opposed iu
the case cf the Ccr.nan one of the Irish-Aran-lean citizen.
If the position of each were to be adjusted by his own in-
tention and desire, the former must be declared a tree
American, the latter as decisively a true Irishman. For
it need not be observed that there is no such thing known
among nations as a hypothetical or conditional nation-
ality. Whoever desires to establish his nationality for one
purpose meet be taken as desiring to establish it for all.
Nothing but utts.:r confusion and anarchy would result
from any departure from this rule. If, therefore, the
Irishman in the United States seeks to renounce all con-
cern in Ireland, let him do so. But if he continues to
assert that Ireland is his country, and if he moves heaven
and earth to mould her institutions to his own ideas, he
cannot justly complain if, on failure, he is taken at his
word, and condemned by those institutions which he has
tried to overturn.

The Standard would look upon it as a great calamity

an educational rate, once adopted, were to supersede the
voluntary subscription. It continues : Mr. Forster prefers
a local rate to a system of schools supported by the State,
because he desires to secure the benefits of local manage-
ment. But is he not here using the same phrase in two
different senses? The local management of which we have
hitherto exper:enced the benefits has been the manage-
ment of vela:steers, who have proved their zeal in the
work by pecuniary aid, and who are generally the culti-
vated and educated men and women of the place. The
local management which a rate-supported system of schools
would enjoy, would be that of a committee elected by the
i-:.tepayers ; and what that committee would be, the ex-

perience of the Frr-law administration has shown 113.
We are not sure that even a central IT:lel:lent at White-
hail svoul•1 not be a better government for our parish
schools than a parochial board of guardians. Assuredly
the substitUtion of such boards for the present volnuteci
committees would be an unmixed misfortune to the
parishes and places which are at present provided with
schools ; and we cannot help thinking that some better
course might be devised, even in the case of those which
are at present neglected, both by the local men of pro-
perty and the State. 'We judge, from his speech, that
Mr. Forster has given no great consiticration to this part
of his subject ; we would entreat him to think twice be-
fore he commits himself to the advocacy of a plan which
would hand over the schooling of the people to the same
class of men who now administer the law for the relief of
the poor.

An attempt was made on Saturday night to blow
up the house of Captain Otway, of Castle Otway, Temple-
(lorry. A quantity of gunpowder was placed beside one
of the walls, and an explosion took place which caused
considerable damage. Mr. (' ~way is at present from home.
No cause can been assigned for the attempt, as Mr. Otway
is a popular landlord.
A curious medal will be sold in Paris in a few
days. The lead of which it is composed was a portion of
that used to rivet the chains of the prisoners of the Bas-
tille. On one side is a somewhat confused representation
of the taking of the Bastille, and the date 14th of July,
1780. On the obverse, the following inscription :—" This
lead sealed the chains which chained the victims of des-
potism,
tism and recalls the period cf liberty conquered in the
year ler."

THE NORTII-EASTERN RAILWAY. —This company
has tired of the ten hours' system. On the occasion of the,
strike last spring one of the points conceded to the engine-
drivers and firemen was ten hours per day and two hours
the quarter day overtime. This has been found not to
work, and thie month the old system of 12 hours per (.:ay
and 2i the quarter over has been re-established. The
money paid to the men per day will be the same, but some
of the menwho struck, and were afterwards re-employed at
reduced wages, will be a little better paid. It is saidthc re-
turn to the old system is by way of experiment fora month.
ACIIIEVEINIENTS OF THE TELEGRAPH.—The Star
says :--" One of the greatest achievements in the art of
telegraphy was the report of Mr. Gladstone's speeches at
Southport cud Ormskirk on the 19th of December hut.
It is stated to have been the longest express sent through
the wires in this or any other country since the introduc-
tion of the telegraphic system. It contained 16,382
words. The total number transmitted on the 18th
(when Mr. Gladstone was at Cl.lham) and 19t72. was 33,743
words."

FENIAN AUDACITY.—On Sunday the following
placard, shewing the audacity of the Fenians, was exten-
sively posted in Dublin, but was immediately removed by
the police :—" To the Citizens. —Whereas, it has been the
policy of England to murder those three Irishmen in Man-
chester for doing the duty of every true-hearted and true-
born Irishman, namely, the rescue of the popular leaders
of the people, the brave and patriotic Colonel Kelly and
Deasy, we therefore call on you to be prepared when
called on to avenge them. God save Ireland."

THE LATEST METHOD OF SWIND LING. The
Letter Despatch Ofilcc, which has a shifting habitation in
the Strand,. appears to be a thriving concern, if we may
judge by the number of its victims. The proprietors of
the establishment would seem is fix upon the moment of
their visits with singular appropriateness, and the mode
in which the business of the Despatch Mee is conducted
betrays a good deal of ingenuity. A man presents himself
at the house of the intended victim, and hands in a direc' el
I.:tter, with " Foreign Despatch, Overland Route"
written thereon in red iok, demanding at the same
time a charge varying from four shillings to seven shil-
lings. Ii the servant, struck with the importance of the
words, "Overland Route," satisfies the claim and asks
fur a receipt, the man hands him a document something
after the fashion of the following : " Dawson's Despatch
Conveyance, 392, Strand, W.C. Received from
the sum of 4s. 9d., charges upon despatch B 84, per Over-
land Route, from Rouen to London." The envelope when
opened contains nothing beyond a blank sheet of foolscap
paper. As the document is duly signed and is well written,
it bears an appearance of authenticity which is well calcu-
lated to impose on the unwary, while the care with which
Mr. " Gordon Osborne," who acts for the firm, selects his
victims, may be gathered from the following extract from
a letter which we have received :—" I suppose the fel-
lows saw that my house was temporarily uninhabited,
a id justly presumed =the greenness of the man in posses.

THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS. —A correspondent,
who has recently made the ascent of Vesuvius while on
fire, states that the scene was grand beyond description.
"From the summit of the mountain and from three srpa-
rate outlets five continuous torrents of molten rock, glowing
with a brilliance the like of which I have never beheld,
were sweeping down. These rivers of fire lighted up t' e
ice-crowned rocks to our left with a lurid glare that was
almost terrible to look at, while the whole atmosphere was
;rnpregnat,:d withthe hot sldphurous fumes that were given
off in clouds of thick white vapour. Showers of stones, some
g.s big as a man's head, were shot out of the crater to an
immense height, at intervals of a few seconds, but they
(ell as lightly, to all seeming, as though they were mere
sparks of fire. The mountain groaned with the hoarse
wailing of a long Atlantic wave that dashes on a broken
shore, while the very ground beneath our feet shook 'n
answer to the roar. We seemed to be encompassed by
svery conceivable earthly horror. Lava cools very quickly,
ind it thus forms of itself a strong impediment to its own
progress. The stream we examined was about six feet
iigh, and, as far as we could see, about nine feet broad.
Continually fed from the crater, it is constantly advancing
sold as constantly widening. Our guide, who seemed to Le
its fireproof as a salamander, actually ran up the burning
)ank with no greater injury than the total destruction of
boots,"
I