The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-02 00:00:00

N°.18,131.] LONDON, SATURDAY ;^ • , E I 1 7 NOVEMBER 2, 1850.

PUBLICATIONS.

NEW NOVEL BY 31Iss KAVANAGIL
.Tust ready, in 3 vols, post Svo.,
A T II A L I E. A TALE.
ty JULIA KAVANAGIT.
Author of
" Madeline," " Woman in France," ez.c.
"A croAture not t 4,, pure or good
For human mu ore's daily food ;
For transient sorrows, simple wiles,
Praise, blame, lore, kisses, tears, and smiles."
Wordsworth.
llenry Colburn, Pub!lsher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

COMPLETION- OF souTnEy's LIFE ANI) LETTEE'.
THE SIXTH and CONCLUDING VOLUME
of the LIFE and CORRESVONDENCE of the late ROBERT
SOUTIMY, edited by his Son, the Rev C. C. SOL"IIIEY, M.A.,
in post 8 em, price half-a-guinea; illustrated with a View of
Southey's Monument in Crosthwaite Church, and a View- of Cros-
thwaite Church, from Greta Hill, designed by W. Westall,
is thi. day published.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Lorgmans.

ILLUSTRATED EDITION of the "SIR ROGER DE COVER-
LET" PAPERS, from the SPECTATOR.

Just publ'sbed,-1; one volume, crown Bvo., price 15s. boards, or 275.
bound in morocco by Ilayday,

SIR ROGE-R: DE COVER-LEY. By "The
SPECTATOR " With Notes and Illustrations by W. Henry
Wills ; and Twelve line Wood Engravings by John Thempson, from
Designs by Frederick Tayler.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.

Just published, Vol. 11., Part 1., in Bvo., with Plate and numerous
Wood Engravings, {rice 17s. cloth,
THE ELEMENTS of MATERIA MEDICA
and TIIERIiPEUTICS. By JON. PEREIRA, M.D., F.R.S.,
and L.S. Third Edition, enlarged and improved, including Notices
of most of the Medicinal Substances in use in the Civilized World,
and forming an Encyclop:eclia of Materia Medica.
The First l'art of the Second Volume contains a considerable por-
tion of the Vegetable Materia Medic:, namely, the Cryptogams, the
Exogens or Monocotyledons, and the Gymnospermous, the Mono-
chlamydoas or Apetalous, and the Corollifloral Exogens.
The Second and Concluding Part is in the Press.
Lately published, Volume the First, comprising Psychical or Men-
tal Remedies, and Physical but Imponderable Remedies. Bvo., with
many woodcuts,-price 255.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman..

• -NEW WORK BY HARRY lIIEOOL~ li.
Just published, in fcp. Bvo., with Two Plates, "The /VW. Sort,"
and " The Wrong. Sort," price ss. half-bound,
THE HUNTING FIELD. By HARRY
lIIEOVER. Author of " The Pocket and the Stud," " The
Stud for Practical Purposes,"" Practical Horsemanship," and "Stable
Talk and Table Talk." _ .

Our friend Ilarryleaver has produced another work which
will be equally acceptable to the sportsmen of the present season.
It is entitled The Hunting Field,' and, in plain and simple lan-
guage, affords such instructions to the tyro as will enable him to
take his place among men of high pretensions and long experience—
with the certainty at least of not betraying an ignorance as danger-
ous as it is sometimes mortifying. The work is illustrated by en-
gravings, and the mystery and art of The Field' is pleasantly and
agreeably explained. Those who run may read,' says an old
adage ; but those who hunt, we have no hesitation in saying, will
derive much profit from perusing these pages."—Bell's Life in London.
London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman.

LEONARDO DA VINCI.
Just published, in fcp. tiro., price Gs. cloth,
VILLA VE ROCC HIO ; or, the Youth of
Leonardo da Vinci. A Tale. By the late DIANA LOUISA
MACDONALD.
" In this most pleasing of historiettes, we have an episode from
the life of one who carved out for himself the highest place among
the great master-minds of his age The scenery of the
locality (the Val d'Arno and Firenze), the manners of the day, the
characters of the great men of that age, and the affections of the
best of thiswerld's race, which go far to console us for our sad lot
here below, are sketched with a facility, a correctness, and a deli-
cacy that fail not of carrying the reader, without a moment's stop,
from the first to the last sentence of the little volume."—Britannia.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and LODgMaII9.

WINGROVE COKE ON AGRICULTURAL LAW.
This day is published, In Rvo., price 18s. boards,
'IIIIE LAW and PRACTICE of AGRICUL-
TURAL TENANCIES, with numerous Precedents of Te-
nancies, Agreements, and Farming Leases, and Culture Stipulations,
adapted to every circumstance of Cultivation, as settled by the best
Agriculturalists in the respective districts.
By G. WINGROVE COKE, of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-
Law, author of a " Treatise on the Law relating to Rights of Com-
mon," &c., &c., and one of the Assistant Tithe Commissioners for
Special Purposes.
London : Stevens and Norton, Bell-yard, Lincoln's lon.

Now ready,
OHNSON and SHAW'S FARMER'S AL-
tffi MANA.CI for 1851, price Is. sewed, or 2s. bound in cloth and
interleaved, containing the most recent Lists of Agricultural ImiAle-
melds, with Wood En4ravings, &c., by the best makers.
James Ridgway, Piccadilly, and all Booksellers.

Entered at Stationers' Hall.
GREAT EXHIBITION ALMANAC for 1851.
Containing a View of the Building erecting in Hyde Park,
anti a full account of everything connected with it in ENGLISH,
FRENCH, and GERMAN ; also how to visit in Six Days the whole
of the Gratuitous Exhibitions in London, its principal Squares,
Streets, Churches, &c.; with the Cab Fares, and other necessary
information.
Published by ROSS and SONS, Perruqulers, Perfumers, Hair
Cutters, and Hair Dyers, who solicit attention to their British and
Foreign Perfumery, Soaps, Brushes, Dressing Cases, Strops, Cutlery
(particularly their Registered Guard Razor, which prevents any one
cutting himself), hair Dye, Ornamental Hair, &c.
Price of the Almanac, 6d., and will he sent free on receipt of eight
postage stamps ; likewise of all Booksellers and Newsmen.
Address ROSS and SONS, 119 and 120, Bishopgate•street, London.

GRAND SALON DE D ANSE,
ROYAL ADELAIDE GALLERY, STRAND.
OPEN FOR THE SEASON.
Lessee —Mr. Thomas Bartlett Simpson, Albion Tavern, Great
Russell • strae t, Covent-garden
Mr. SIMPSON, anxious to have the best Band in London, has re-
tained the valuable talent of th leading Artists engaged during the
pant season at Cremorne Gardens. including the following eminent
Performers from h, r Majesty's Theatre, the Royal Italian Opera,
and the Philharmonie Concerts :
First Violins—Hayward, Cohen, Bue's, 11. T. Seabrook, Van Hed-

deehem.
Second Violins—Pelcrin, T. Jackson, Edwards, C. Griesbach.
Tenors—Sapinski, J. Jackson.
Violoncellos—Quinton, W. F. Reed.
Contra Basses—G. Taylor, W. Trainor, Guy, Stubgen.
Flauto—J. Saynor.
Piccolo—Meyer.
Flageolet—J. Tyler.
Oboe—J. Schott.
Clarinetti—Park, G. Tyler.
Bassoon—Nlontara.
Cornets a-Pistons—lltunfreess, Cottrell.
Horns— W. F. Youngman, W. Youngman.
Tromboni—Webster, Guiraud.
Ophicleide—Mosca.
Bass Drum—Morrison.
Side Drum—Seymour.
VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT.
Comprising Selections from the most celebrated Composers, and
Solos by first-rate Artists.
Overture, " Zanetta" .• •• Auber.
Solo (Flute) Mr. Saynor •• Saynor.
Songs by Miss Empel.
Solo (Violencello) Mr . Reed.
Selection from LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR .. Donizetti.
Comic Songs by R. (Minion.
Selection from LA SONNA MBULA • • . • Bellini.
Conducted by BORINI.
To the votaries of Terpsichore remarks on the excellence of
Borini's Band, after the experience of its Orchestral Triumphs at
Cremorne, would be superfluous.
Solos and Concerted Pieces will be performed during the evening.
Borini's Latest Compositions—The Adelaide Polka, Waltzes to
various popular Irish Melodies, Galop d'lndustrie, New .Quadrille of
all Nations.
The Grand Salon, Refreshment, and Ante-rooms have undergone
considerable alterations and improvements.
Doors open at llall•past Seven o'clock. Admission One Shilling.

DR. C ULVERWELL' S NEW WORKS.
To be had of Sherwood, 23, Paternoster-row ; Carvalho;
47, Fleet-street ; Mann, 39, Cornhill ; or direct from the author ,
price One Shilling each ; by post, Is. 6d.
ENJOYMENT OF LIFE.
"Health, Recreation. and rational Use of Time."
CONTENTS :—Early Rising—Spring and Summer Mornings—Ex-
zursions about the Environs of London—The Parks, Lanes, Hills
Forests, Fields, High-roads, and other pleasant placos—Country
Trips and liamislcs—The Sea—London at Night—Evening. at Home
—Music—The Drama—On Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Bathing, Air,
Rest, Ease, Occupation, &c., &c.
FRAGMENTS FROM THE MOUNTAINS. Two Vole.
Vol I.
A VISIT TO THE LAKES ; SKETCH ;OF EDINBURGH, &c.
Vol. 11.

TOE LAKES OF KILLARNIi; REMINISCENCES OF
DUBLIN, Sec.
WHAT TO EAT, DRINK, AND AVOID.
"That three score years and ten our course may run."
A popular review of almost every form (cause and cure) of ner-
vously-debilitated health and enfeebled constitution, that harasses
the young, besets the man of pleasure, business, or study, and em-
bitters old age, with tables and rules for the diet and physical regu-
Litton of every-day life.
IV.
TPIE PASSIONS.
" What passions hurt the body—what improve,
Truths as refined as Athens ever heard."
Flummox : pilgrimage, from infancy to old age. The advent
ofthe passions. Chastity and its infringements. The casualties of
licentiousness and dissipation, with illustrations, graphic, narrative,
and remediative. Advocacy of early marriages.
V.

THE MARRIAGE STATE.
" To be or not to he, that is the question."
pp.oegiamArE:—Laws and obligations of nature, society, and re-
ligion regarding marriage, to be observed by either sex. Time and
choice, on both sides, as to age, temperament, complexion, and
figure, to secure healthy offspring, with the art of rearing them.
Physical defectiveness and its removal. Sterility and its conversion.
sses , /cc.
By R. J. CIILVERWELL, M.D. (1841), M.R.C.S. (1827), L.S.A.
(1824). Twenty-fire years Medical and Forensic Referee in these
matters. Reception hours daily till five. Evenings, seven till nine.
10 Aramll-place. Rezent-street

THIRTY-FIFTH EDITION.

CONTAINING TILE REMEDY FOR THE PREVENTION OF
DEASE.

Illustrated by 26 Anatomical Coloured Engravings on Steel.
ON PHYSICAL DISQUALIFICATIONS, GENERATIVE INCA-
PACITY, AND IMPEDIMENTS TO MARRIAGE.
A New and Improved Edition, enlarged to 196 pages, price 2s. 6d.
by post, direct from the Establishment, 3s. 6d. in postage stamps,
THE SILENT FRIEND, a Medical Work on
the exhaustion and physical decay of the system, produced by
excessive indulgence, the consequences of infection, or the abuse of
mercury, with explicit directions for the use of the preventive lotion,
followed by observations on the Married State, and the disqualifica-
tions which prevent it. Illustrated by 26 Coloured Engravings, and
by the detail of cases. By R. and L. PERRY and CO.. Consulting
Surgeons, 19, Berners-street, Ox ord-street, London. Published by
the Authors ; and sold by Strange, 21, Paternoster-row ; Hannay,
63, and Sanger, 150, Oxford-street; and Gordon, 146, Leadenhall-
street, London.
FAIT I. treats of the anatomy and physiology of the re-productive
organs, and is illustrated by Six Coloured Engravings.
PART treats of the consequences resulting from excessive in-
dulgence, and their lamentable effects on the system, producing
mental and bodily weakness, nervous excitement, and generative
Incapacity. Illustrated by Three Explanatory Engravings.
PART 111, treats of the diseases resulting from infection, either in
the primary
or secondary form, and contains explicit directions for
their
„treatment. This section is illustrated by Seventeen Coloured
ungx
FAIT
din IV. contains a Remedy for the Preventio of Disease by a
This
eapplleation, by which Ulf, danger of infection is obviated.
notice.important part of the Work should not escape the reader's

PART V. Is devoted to the consideration
red, and the
ties. The causes of unproductive union are also considered,
Whole subject critically and philosophically inquired into.
in
THE CORDIAL BALM OF STRIACTIM Is exclusively employed ........
treating nervous and se ' Impotence,Ecc. 1 ls. and 6.5 s
xual debility, , • late
per bottle. The Concentrated Detersive Essence, an anti-syphilitic
remedy, for purifying the blood in cases of Infection, secondary
of marriage,e and it, du-
symptoms, eruptions, and the abuse of mercury, 1 Is. and 3
i s.
' peri
ry
bottle. Per's Purifying Specific Pills, 2s. 9d., 4s. Cd., and per box, a certain remedy for gonorrhoea, ' gleet, stricture, and
chronic, inflammation of the bladder. Consultation fee, if by letter,
11. A minute detail of the case Is required: age., habits, and Posi-
tion in society. 11. Packets, with advice, to be had at the Frta-
blisltment only by which the fee, 11., is saved. Mcssm Perry,
Burgeons, are In stiendaneo daily at 19, Eernors-streot, Oxford-
street, London, from Eleven till Two and FiYr o t El lit •, on Bun-
S day,ftom Moven to Ono.

SWANSCOMBE, KENT.
TO be LET, in this beautiful -Village, a desirable
FAMILY RESIDENCE, in complete repair, and containing
breakfast, (lining, and drawing-rooms, five bed-rooms, excebent
offices, two-stall stable and coach-house, kitchen-garden, large pad-
dock and well•stocked erohard ; a good supply of excellent spring
water.

The premises are a short distance from the Greenhithe
where bolts call to and from London frequently in the day, and only
hair-a-mile from the Northfleet Station.

For terms, &e.. apply to A. It. Steel, Esq., No. 1, Lincoln's Inn-
fields ; or to Mr. Frederick Goodeve, Ingress Abbey.

TO PARENTS and GUARDIANS.—A portion
of the extensive Premises in Recent-street, occupied by
Messrs. NICOLL, will in future be devoted for the production of
BOYS' and YOUTH,' CLOTHING, such to exhibit unusual good
taste, style, and linisk, besides having a further recommendation in
their durability and very moderate cost.
College Caps and Gowns, with every kind of Garment calculated
for pleasure, duties, or exercise, and such as are worn by Young
Gentlemen at the Colleges and Great ['unlit Schools. These are al-
ways ready to be met with at the Warerooms of It. J and I). NI-
COLL, Merchant Clothiers, Paletet Patentees, and Manufacturers of
Cloth, it gent-street (from 114 to 120 inclusive), and 22, Cornhill.
CAUTION.—Many have assumed the use of the word " PALETOT,"
bat Messre. NICOLL are the Sole Patentees of the design and ma-
terial (in Winter or Summer Substances) employed in the manufac-
ture of this inexpensive and gentlemanly article of costume.

ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
Lecture on the Ballad Music of England, by Mr. George Bar-
ker, with illustrations from the most popular Composers every Even-
ing (except Saturday) at Eight e'clock.—Lecture on the Hydro-
Electric Machine, by Dr. Bachhoffner.—Lecture on Chemistry by J.
H. Pepper, Esq., illustrating the Ancient Fiery Ordeal and the Hand-
ling of Red Hot Metals.—Model of Weston's Patent Nova-Motive
Railway, at work daily.—Dissolving Views illustrating some of the
Wonders of Nature, daily at Half-past Four, and in the Evenings
at a Quarter to Ten; also a Series, exhibiting Scenes in the Arctic'
Regions and Ceylon, daily at One e'clock.—Diver and Diving-bell,
&c., &c.

Admission, Is.—Schools, Half-price.
Open daily from Eleven till Five o'clock, and every Evening (ex-
cept Saturday) from Seven till Half•past Ten.

SECULAR EDUCATION.

On Thursday evening a meeting of the friends of
the National Public School Association was held in
the Corn-Exchange, Manchester—Otnissionbyticket.
The building was fitted. Mott of the 'aeligates who
attended the conference were on the platform. Mr.
E. Hickson, of Wrothain, Kent, took the. chair.
The CHAIRMAN observed that the meeting was
assembled in a cause connected with the highest in-
terests of humanity—the cause of mind struggling to
emancipate itself from the bondage of ignorance, vice,
and defective institutions—the cause of mental and
moral progress. It was gratifying to him to know
that it was to the men of Lancashire they were in-
debted for the opportunity of uniting in another com-
bined effort for the common good of their common
country. When he reflected on what had been
achieved by this great manufacturing district in be-
half of commercial freedom and the diminution of
pauperism, which was now beginning to be sensibly
felt in the agricultural districts, a summons to join
them in another great national movement, of which
the men of Lancashire had put themselves at the head,
sounded as a signal, not only of battle, hut of victory.
The signal had been heard in the most distant parts of
the kingdom, and it had brought the present meeting
together. True they had not the great and noble of the
land with them now, but when victory should crown
their efforts the presence of the aristocracy would not be
wanting to complete the triumph. The men of Lanca•
shire had taught the democracy a lesson, not ho
trusted to be soon forgotten—namely, that where an
up-hill battle was to be fought the people must trust
to their own exertions only. Be did not despair of
seeing a Cabinet Minister, or even the Premier, taking
the chair at some such meeting as the present, for the
promotion of secular education on the broadest basis,
and prepared to declare that he would no longer fol-
low a timid policy, or attempt the amalgamation of
irreconcilable interests, but would make the question
of national education a Cabinet question, and stake
the existence of his Administration on it. The prin-
ciple on which the supporters of this movement took
their stand was the right of private judgment in
matters of religion—the principle on which the Pro-
testant Church in this country was founded. Why
should any Protestant divine of the nineteenth cen-
tury hesitate to proclaim the truth which was preached
in the sixteenth century—that, of all the influences
that could be brought to bear on the minds of the
young, the most fatal to religious progress, the most
disastrous to civil liberty,' was the doctrine of the in-
falibility of one man or set of men claiming to be in-
terpreters of God's will or of God's word ? If he
were asked on what ground they meant to build their
system of national education, his reply would be—
on the foundation of the old Protestant right of pri-
vate judgment in matters of religion, and on the old
Saxon right of responsible local self-government.
The speaker then proceeded to review the educational
question during the last half-century, in the course
of which he was occasionally interrupted by ex-
pressions of impatience which finally induced him to
sit down.

Mr. M‘Kistaow said it must be distinctly under-
stood that this was a meeting of the friends of secu-
lar education only, and therefore it would be unfair
and unmanly in any person opposed to that kind of
education to interrupt their proceedings. The
question could not of course be settled without dis-
cussion, but the present was not the occasion for it.
He then stated that subscriptions in support of the
society had been received as follow :—From Mr. Mark
Phillips, 1001.; from Mr. Henry, M.P., 1001.; from
Mr. Richard Gardner, of Malvern, 501.; and from
Mr. W. Brown, M.P., 501.
The Rev. J. A. BAINEs (Independent) moved the
first resolution :
" That the existing educational provision in this coun-
try is very defective, both in amount and quality, and
demands the serious attention of every friend of moral
progress."
The resolution was seconded by the Rev. J.
BATTEY, of Huddersfield.
Mr. J. AIKEN, of Liverpool, in supporting the
resolution, contended that the education provided for
children in England was both insufficient in quantity
and defective in quality. That secular education was
not antagonistic to religion was demonstrated by the
fact that the people in New England, in the United
States, where the education was the same as that
which the National Public School Society proposed
to give, were remarkable for the fervour of their reli-
gious feelings.
The resolution wa►s then put and carried.
The Rev. Dr. DAVIDSON (Independent) moved the
next resolution :
" That any system of public schools, to be generally
acceptable to the people of this country, must be confined
to secular instruction."
He declared his approbation of that rule of the society
which provided that only extracts from, and not the
whole, of the Scriptures should be read in their schools.
If the whole Scriptures were to be introduced into the
schools the Roman Catholics would be excluded from
them. Did those:who wished the whole of the Scrip-
tures to be introduced into the schools mean that the
children should read the whole of them, or only parts ?
If the latter, it was, after all, the plan of the National
Public School Society. If, however, it were meant
that children should read the Scriptures through, he
begged to ask whether the scholars would understand
the Revelation, or interpret some of the prophecies of
the Old Testament ? That was what few school-
masters, and he feared he might add some of the
clergy, could not do. He called upon the people to sup-
port the scheme now proposed for their advantage, an
to disregard the ecclesiastical thunders which would
be directed against it.
The Rev. W. F. WALKER of Oldham (Church of
England), in seconding the resolution, suggested that
much opposition would be obviated by using the phrase
secular "instruction," instead of secular " education,"
because, correctly speaking, education included re-
ligious instruction, and in that sense an influential
Member of the House of Commons (Lord J. Russell)
was right in stating, last session, that secular educa-
tion was opposed to the genius and habits of the people
of England.
Mr. COBDEN, M.P., on rising to address the meet-
ing was received with prolonged acclamation. He
said, Mr. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen, the very
first occasion on which I had the honour of address-
ing a Manchester audience, was upon a question con-
nected with this. It was at the foundation of the Man-
chester Athenaeum. That was in the year 1835, and
for more than two years after that I think the only
question on which I appeared before a Manchester
audience, was in connexion with national education.
I well remember as long as 15 years ago, meeting Mr.
Walker at the York Hotel, in the effort, at that time
not very successful, to form a society for the
promotion of general education. Now, I men-
tion these facts, not with the view of showing my
own inconsistency in being here now ; that's of very
little consequence ; but I wish to draw your attention
to the fact, that at the time I am speaking of I had
the pleasure of uniting with many gentlemen who en-
tertained similar political sentiments with myself',
who are not now in the ranks of national education-

alists themselves, butare,Tam afraid, on this ques-
tion to be ranked among our opponents.—(Hear.)
Now, I want to call our good friends back to their
original opinion.—(Hear, hear.) how is it that
these gentlemen, the great champions of civil
and religious liberty, are not now the ad-
vocates of an institution for the preservation
of those principles which they have so much at
heart ? How is it that they are not joining with
us to advocate the enlightenment of the people
upon which alone the civil and religious liberties of
the people can rest ?—(llear, hear.) We had a long
period, from 1838 down to 1846, in which our edu-
cational efforts were suspended, and we were battling
for a question nearer even and dearer to humanity

than mental aliment,—l mean the necessity for obtain-
ing our daily bread. During that time, for seven
years the question of national education was almost
forgotten, suspended, in Manchester; but during
that time circumstances occurred which tended
greatly to alienate the dissenting body (for to them I
allude) from this question.—(Cheers.) First came
the notorious and consequently more prominent fact
that a large amount, by far the largest amount, of
money voted annually by Parliament for the purposes
of education flowed, not to the dissenting body, but to
the Church establishment alone, which ultimately led
to the effect that tended tO alienate the dissecting body
from a system of national education.—(Cheers.) Then
came the proposal of Sir James Giaham's plan of
education, which raised the antagonism of the whole
dissenting body throughout the country. And I
think in an evil moment, in a moment that must be
recollected by the dissenting body as a moment of ex-
citement and of frenzy, which of themselVes
are sufficient to account for and to atone

for the error they committed, in a moment of
excitement founded upon the causes to which
I have alluded, the dissenting body at large—a
large and most influential portion of them--declared
their hostility to the very principle of an organised
system of public education.—(Cheers.) But their
declaration, arising out of discontent with Sir James
Graham's Bill, or with the tendency of the present
votes of Parliament, of applying
the grants almost
exclusively to the Established Church, was nothing
whatever to do with the proposal we now submit to
the country. Here is a plan, on a principle emana-
ting from the society of which we form a part here
to-night, intended for the very purpose of relieving
the Dissenters from the dilemma, and removing from
them the injustice under which they suffer; and we
have the fullest conviction, and entertain uo doubt
whatever, that when our friends have
,the opportunity
coolly and dispassionateiy to consider the question
now submitted to them, they will as a body unitedly,
join our ranks in the advocacy of this system of edu-
cation.—(Hear, hear.) For what is it we propose to
do ? We do not propose to interfere with their religi-
ous teachings, the fundamental principle of Dissent
being to repudiate State aid for religions teaching.
We do not propose to introduce religious teaching
into our schools. As religious communions, there-
fore, they cannot appear as our opponents ; as indivi-
duals they may, as other individual may; but I will
say, that as• religious bodies, neither Baptists, nor In-
dependents, nor Wealeyans,. nor any other sect of
the religious world, have any right to come before us
to object, on religious ground, that we are doing that
which is inimical to their prineiples.—(Hear, hear.)
I wish to draw a distinction between the rights of
the Dissenters to oppose us as individuals, and their
right upon any ground of common sense to attempt to
array themselves as a religious body, against the pre-
sent plan of this association. But some of them come
forward and say, we are violating principles of poli-
tical economy, by allowing a public rate to be raised
for education at all. But again I say, it is perfectly
competent for an individual member of the Baptists
or Independents, or any other communion, to object
to our plan of public provision for education on poli-
tico-economical grounds ; but what right, as a body,
has any religionist connexion to come before you
and raise a politico-economical argument? I will
reason with them, if they like, from Adam Smith, I
will take from them any argument as philosophers,
but What right have they to come with the Bible in
their hands to oppose me on polico-economical
grounds P—(Cheers.) But, sir, one word only on the
plan upon which we propose to proceed. The gen-
tleman who, as he riAhtly says, with so much moral
courage, has just now been addressing us, on my
right, has made a remark in which I think we cannot
altogether concur, when he states that the plan is
one which excludes the Bible from the schools.—
(Cheers.) Now, what I understand by the plan of this
association is this, that it is one which does not compel
the scholars to read the Bible, if contrary to their con-
scientious convictions, or that of their parents, but I
am not a party to the exclusion of the whole Bible
from any school where the local board can unite in
introducing it. For instance, one-half of our parishes
in the United Kingdom, and a great deal more, are
small rural parishes containing a few hundreds of in-
habitants—in many cases with only a parish church,
where there is not a single Dissenter. I don't under-
stand this to be a plan which will prevent a commu-
nity like this, where all are agreed, from having the
whole Bible introduced introduced into their schools.

What we do say is this : we will not compel the
reading of the Bible, when that shall have the effect
probably of deterring Roman Catholics and others
from sending their children to the schools. Well, the
objection that is raised to this plan is, that is an irre-
ligious plan, because we do not undertake to give re-
ligious training. This is the great obstacle which you
have to contend with, a cry raisel on very flimsy
grounds and pretences, that you are aiming to estab-
lish an irreligious system of education ; and I have no
hesitation in saying that our opponents are wise in
taking that ground, for such is the tendency in the
mind of this people, that no change has been accom-
plished in this country of which it could be
alleged that it was opposed to religion ; and
few great reforms have been accomplished in this
country, in which religious principles have not been
very largely called into operation to effect them. But
what do we propose to do ? Are we going to open
boarding-schools to take children away from their
parents ? I thought in this country we recognised
the right of parents to train up their children. Do
we propose to put them in boarding-schools? Why
outbreak?aalglainthstisufsuorfiobuesingirreligious ?
Whyh
etyh this
p
s aecacrutsoa ti o n
as-
sume that we propose a plan under which we intend
to take away from parents their children at a tender
age, to remove them from their influence, and counsel,
and example. We talk not even of Sunday schools.
We talk of a plan by which we propose, for six or
eight hours for five days in the week--for I dare say
you will have a half holiday on the Saturday—a plan
by which you intend to give to the children of this
country, for five days in each week, five or six, or
eight hours of instruction in secular affairs, leaving
them on the Sunday to the pastor of their communion
—leaving them the whole evening, night, and morn-
ing in the hands of their parents. And yet the at-
tempt is made, and wisely made, for it is the only
chance which our opponents have of obstructing our
movement—(Loud cheers)—the attempt is made to
show that the tendency of this system must be to give
an irreligious education. But I have said it before,
and I say it now—for you must repeat your argu-
ments till you find them coming back to you from
your very enemies—l have said it before, the first
time I had the honour of addressing the association
in this town, we pay eight millions a year at least to
the teachers of religion--twice as much, I will ven-
ture to say, as is paid in any Christian country on the
face of the earth; and we don't propose to take away
one shilling from these teachers of Christianity we
tell them, though they have not taught the people to
read, write, or spell, or know even the geography of
their neighbouring parish---(Hear, hear).—we tell
them they are ignorant of grammar, they are igno-
rant of the commonest duties of social life ; we
propose to give them some instruction in those ne-
cessary matters; and yet these parties, the parties
to the system in which eight millions per annum are
expended for religious training, these parties have
the effrontery to come forward and tell us we are
going to give the people an irreligious education.—
(Cheers.) Fling that in their teeth wherever you
meet the opposite side.—(Cheers and laughter.) Tell
them about it in the logical way that my friend Dr.
Bacon did, as you will hear by and bye;
and I wish
I was permitted to say more, but I know it would
not be agreeable to him—but the circumstances of
his departure from his own congregation, and the
high esteem in which he is held will be enough to
convince you of the truth of what he says; but Dr.
Bacon yesterday put it in this form, and flung it at
the head of these dishonest, or else these ignorant
people.—(Laughter.) But (he said) I never under-
stood that this munificent endowment was to be
viewed in the light of a school fund ; if it be, then it
seems to me to be very much misapplied, and I would
advise you to look to it."—(Cheers and laughter.)
Now, we do not propose to interfere with the reli-
gious instruction of the people, or to take one farthing
from the stipends of the religious teachers; but we
tell them, if it be their duty to educate the people,
they have grossly neglected their duty. And even if
they assume that duty, we do not even propose to
punish them in the way we might, I think, very logi-
cally have a right to do, by taking some of their sti-
pends from them to do that which they profess them-
selves bound to do, but which they do not do, but to
raise by a local rate, upon the property
.of this country,
extra money in order to do that which they them-
selves have failed to do.—(Hear, hear.) I am glad
h
we have got to support us here a gentleman from the
United States. I have often thought that the best
way of reasoning this matter would be to identify
ourselves with the New England system of education,
and to say, " That is what we want ; we want that
for Old England, which, for centuries has been a bles-
sing to New England."—(Cheers.) I say, if you are
afraid of the consequences, let us see the effect upon
the New England states. Why, the schools in the
New England States have given the people there an
education which, compared with ours—l mean secu-
lar instruction—might well make ui blush. Our
opponents, however, will not deny that our system of
education might give more secular instruction; but

they say it will produce infidelity and irreligion. But
what has been the effect in New England ? Where
will you find, among all the Protestant countries in the
world, a country which iw par excellence, a religious
community, compared with the New England states ?
What are your tests? Do you reply, " The number
of places of worship ?" Why, they have far more
chapels and churches, in proportion to the population,
than we have. Is it the observation of the Sabbath ?

I Why, I have been there, and I have seen chains put
across the streets on a Sunday to prevent the traffic
interfering with the celebrations of religious worship.
Is it the respect paid to the ministers of religion ? Why,
I can vouch for it, that there is no country
in Euroje where the ministers of religion are treated
with such solid deference as in the New England
.tales.—(flear, hear.) Is it that forms of religion are
omitted there, whilst we observe them? Why, if
I this meeting had been in the New England states, I
appeal to Dr. Bacon, whether you would not have
begun your proceedings to-night with prayer. Their
courts of law never begin their trials without first
offering up a prayer. The sheriff calls for prayer
before the judge begins to administer the laws.
Everything in the New England states betokens the
diffusion of and the respect paid to religion and the
extension of knowledge. Take the number of mis-
sions supported for the conversion of the heathen—
take any test you please, and I affiam that the people
of the New England states, where this system of secu-
lar education is adopted, are a more religious body
than the English people, or any Protestant commu-
nity that you can mention. I say, then, that I want
such a system of education here as they have in the
New England states. What I want is a system of
education which, whilst it will leave the people fully as
religious as they are now, will also give them that secu-
lar knowledge which the Americans are now taught.
Our friend Dr. Bacon comes frops a mall town of 20,000
"
inhabitants, which sustains three daily newspapers.
There is activity and intellect. Our objectors here
would argue that because the people are intelligent,
and take an active, keen, and prompt interest in
everything tbat relates to contemporary history, they
must be irreligious.--(Hear.) I would point to these
facts to show that you may have activity of mind and
great intelligence, without impairing the religious
feeling of the country. I want to know, then, why
eve should not have as good a system of education as
New England ?—(Hear, hear.) Why should net Old
England be as well educated as New England ? I
ask the question, because I think, not merely upon
economical, but upon every high moral as well as re-
ligious ground, we ought to cultivate the mind and the
principles of our people the same as in the United
States. We are not a democracy, like the United
States ; but questions of equal importance, and of
equal complexity, are submitted to the ordeal of
public opinion in this country, as in the United
States of America. In the ultimate appeal, public
opinion rules this country as much as it does iu that
pure democracy across the Atlantic. When we have
questions submitted to us as politicians, which, sixty
years ago, were evolved from the studies of the most
profound thinkers of that age, but which have now
become the every-day topics of political warfare—
and we • live in a state of society calling upon
mew to exercise their faculties of judgment
upon questions of this complexity—it is necessary
for the safety of society to educate the people up to
the condition in which they are to be found in any
country upon the face of the earth. But I want to see
better safeguards for morality in this country.—
(Hear, hear.) Are we so moral that we can dispense
with the aid of the school-master ? Why, what have
been the late exhibitions in this country ? Have there
been no great crimes, no prominent catastrophes that
have warned us of the state of the substratum of the
population ? I want public schools in this country
to purify the moral atmosphere of the state, and to
elevate the mental condition of our population. I
want them, in fact, for the very reasons which the
great American statesman, Mr. Daniel Webster, has
described as some of his reasons for supporting common
schools in his native state of Massachusetts. He says :
" We regard our free schools as a wise and liberal
system of police, by which property, and life, and the
peace of society are secured. We seek to prevent, in
some measure, the extension of the penal code, by in-
spiring a salutary and conservative principle of virtue
and of knowledge in an early age. We hope to ex-
cite a feeling of respectability, and a sense of charac-
ter, by enlarging the capacity and measuring the
sphere of intellectual enjoyment. By general instruc-
tion we seek, as far as possible, to purify the whole
moral atmosphere, to keep good sentiments upper-
most, and to turn the strong current of feeling and
opinion, as well as the censures of the law and the
denunciations of religion against immorality and
crime. We hope for a security beyond the law, and
above the law, in the prevalence of enlightened and
well-principled moral sentiment. We hope to con-
tinue and prolong the time when, in the villages and
farm-houses of New England, there may be undis-
turbed sleep within unbarred doors."—(Cheers.) For
every one of these reasons, I want a system of public
instruction equal to that which is to be found in the
United States.—(Applause.) But besides these corn-
plex political questions which are submitted to us—
besides the promotion of morality such as is effected
there—l say, that even in questions of religion I want
the intelligence of the people to be extended, to enable
them to form a correct judgment. Now, what is the
great religious outcry at this moment ? Some highly-
yespectable old gentleman has been sent over with red
stockings and a red hat; we are told, to take posses-
sion of this empire and map it out in parellelograms,
by which it is said that we must all be frightened
from our propriety.—(Laughter.) Now I was
asking my friend Dr. Bacon, before we came to
this meeting, what they would do in such a case in
America ? "Why (he said) they would laugh at
it."—(Hear, and laughter.) What I want, then,
is, that you should have an intelligent public opi-
nion in this country to which you can refer these
controversies upon religion.—(A pplause.) I do not
wish to speak disrespectfully of the Roman Catholic
body, for I have a great respect for the members of
that large body, which constitute the majority of
Christians—but speaking as a Protestant, I say that
no man can be competent to take his position as a
Protestant unless he is able to read the Bible and to
judge the contents of that book for himself. One-
half of the people of this country cannot read with
any comfort and satisfaction ; but when they have
read two or three lines, and they come to a long word
—a word of three or four syllables—down goes the
book in despair.— (Laughter.) I tell you to ask
those of your opponents who oppose you on religious
grounds, and profess to have so much more religion
than the rest of us—ask them how a man can be a
Protestant unless he can read the Scriptures ? Why,
is not Protestantism itself founded on the very as-
sumption that every man exercises his private judg-
ment on them ?—(Cheers.) Well then, a sincere Pro-
testant, a religious man, who opposes us for wishing
to teach people to read, is standing in the way, I con-
sider, of the progress of those very religious doctrines
which they are bound by their own conscientious con-
victions, if possible, to advance. While I allow to Ro-
man Catholics the freest indulgence of their opinions,
and while I will never vote in the House of Commons
to prevent them from having the freest scope and ex-
ercise of their religion in this country—(Cheers)—
yet I say as a Protestant; and I say to the Protestants
who are opposing us, if you want such a religious
people here as they have in the New England states,
help us to give the people the power of reading the
Scriptures in their own native tongue.—(Hear, hear.)
Now, sir, this question having been promulgated in
its present form, having been brought before the
country as emanating from Manchester, it will be ex-
pected that this controversy will be followed up in the
same spirit which has" hitherto characterised Man-
chester in this agitation.—(Hear, hear.) You have
not many of the difficulties we had before, in another
agitation, but you have some greater obstacles than
we had then to encounter. It was proposed at our
meeting yesterday to change the Lancashi▪
re Public
Schools Association into the National Public• Schools
Association. Now, I think that was very necessary
and very wise, and for this reason—it is of very little
use your educating Lancashire unless you educate
those parts from which Lancashire is supplied
with its population. We are apt to think, and our
enemies are disposed to keep up the delusion, by
charging us with the facts, that the great sources of
ignorance and vice and misery are in our large towns.
There never was a greater mistake. Take this great
city of Manchester, and I will venture to say that
not one-half iof the population were born in Man-
chester. They are immigrants. And where from ?
Why from those fountains, the overflow of which
furnish these great towns with population, the rural
villages, the agricultural districts of this country, and
therefore any attempt to stop the progress of igno-
rance and its consequences, vice and misery, in large
towns, will be utterly futile, so long as you direct
your attention merely to the education of the people
of Manchester and of the other great towns of Lan-
cashire. You must secure a law which, as in the
case of the New En gland states, as in the case of
Massachusetts, for instance, compels every locality,
every parish, to furnish a school and the means of
education to the whole population ; to furnish not
merely a building such as our orders in Council
are now aiming at doing, furnishing bricks and mor-
tar of which we have more already than are used;
but to furnish a master and the means of giving in-
structive to the great body of the people is all 044

[PRICE SD.

of the country.—(Cheers.) Now, to obtain such a
law as that, you must agitate, and you must Wing
public opinion to bear upon Parliament. You will
have to make this a hustings question.—(Hear, hear,
and cheers.) We are told that the voluntary system
will do all that is necessary. I mentioned a fact yes-
terday, to illustrate how impossible it was for the vo-
luntary system to effect our object in the agricultural
parishes.
I mentioned this fact (which has not been
sufficiently thought of), that in all our agricultural
parishes, absenteeism on the part of the landlord pro-
prietors is the rule and not the exception. It is of
no use to say that the proprietors will educate the
people. The property is there, and I contend that
you should tax it for the instruction of those whose
labour gives value to that property.—(Cheers.)
Then, although the tenant may pay it for the mo-
ment—although it may be probably paid by a man
who is poor in himself—an occupying tenant, pro-
bably, not himself in prosperous circumstances, yet,
in the long run, if you tax property, the proprietor
will bear the taxes.—(Loud cheers.) And I do not
think you can lay a tax that, in its result, would be
more profitable to the community, and to individuals,
than a tax which should give the people education,
and especially in the agricultural districts. For what
i 3 the great obstacle to the reduction of pauperism,
and the diminution of the poor's rate in the agricul-
tural districts ? It is that the people are so ignorant
that, in the first place, they have no spirit of 'enter-
prise which induces them to look out for a scene more
fitting for their industry and more remunerative for
their labour.(Cheers.) But they are so ignorant
that when you are seeking for servants or labourers,
you would rather not have those people who are
brought up in the way which the great bulk of the
agricultural labourers are. I have bad an opportunity
lately of testing and proving that the great difficulty
in dealing with aricultural labourers is that of being
able to do anything for them because they are not
sufficiently educated to serve them-selves out of the
immediate sphere of their daily occupations, and I
would say, therefore, as a matter of self-interest,
if you wish to give the people an ambition to go
beyond the bounds of theiflittle parishes, where they
are often rooting upon the miserable allowance of
some, two or three little loaves of bread a week—if
you wish to make them despise that state of exist-
ence in which they now live, teach them reading,
writing, arithmetic, and geography—let them know
something of what is going on in the colonies of
America; let them feel the ambition which the middle
class people entertain to remove from the scene of
their birth, in order to advance themselves in life,
and with the prospect of returning enriched and be-
nefited to their former home. Ido not put it on
principles of self-interest : I say it is our duty, if we
wish to see a community worthy of the name of
Englishmen, we must educate them better than they
are now. Oh what a fund, oh, what a mine of riches,
lies neglected in the mass of the population of this
country. Think what a race it is—that noble race
which produced a Burns, a Shakspere, or a Milton I
And then think how many hundreds, nay thousands
of this race have pined in stolid ignorance, like the
very ox they drive, because they had not the elements,
the mere tools of science placed in their bands, because
they had not been taught to read or write ; and
therefore they have been deprived of the opportunity
of adding to the glory of the country and the fame
of the people with whom they were surrounded.—
(Great cheering.) You quarrel with their vices—
you say they are drunken; would not you be drunken
—I speak to the people of a more elevated class, to
those in easy circumstances—would not you be
drunken, as your forefathers were not a century ago,
if you had not had some stimulus applied to your
intellect, and some other resources besides the dram
to produce that excitement which, mental or physical,
is necessary for the healthful existence of the people
—(Loud cheers.) Take the people of a superior
rank, to whom I refer - go back only forty or fifty
years. At that time when there was not found upon
their drawing- room tables, as there now is, this
multitude of cheap literature in its most attrac-
tive forms to invite them to constant study ; when
books were scarcely ever turned over by the class
to which I refer—what was their constant habit ?
Drunkenness ! And how were their evenings spent ?
Why—for want of even intellect or activity of
mind enough to sustain a conversation among them-
selves behind pieces of painted pasteboard,
playing at cards; there was not an evening party
without a card table, simply because they had not in-
telligence and activity enough to furnish each other
an evening's amusement without such resources.—
(Hear, hear.) Well, now you find the people—l speak
of those in easy circumstances—complaining that the
days and evenings are too short for them. Such are
their increased resources, and such are the occupa-
tions for their minds, such is the difference in educa-
tion, that the evenings are spent not in such frivolity
as drinking and card•playing, but in intelligent com-
munion ; and the evenings and the days are too short
for the enjoyment of these intellectual qualifications.
—(Cheers.) But would not the working classes, if
they were taught to read and write, and if they were
taught not merely reading and writing, but some-
thing-of their own nature, and of the laws of the
nature which surrounds them, would not they find
other solace, and other resources for gratification than
in the gin-shop, or the dog-fight, or the pitch.and-
toss of the public-house ? Yes—already they show
symptoms of iMproved taste. See how they flock to
our musical entertainments, and how they resort to
the cheap trains to make themselves better acquainted
with nature. Have they not shown that, even without
the advantages of education, they possess an honourable
aspiration to throw off the old skin—to find comfort

in-better and more ChrisTianlikeenjoyMental v Then,
on all these grounds, whether it is on the very bumble
plan of improving the taste for national amusements—
whether this, or to give to men the power of judging
what they will he called upon to judge, of the political
destinies of this country—or whether it be to judge
of the highest of all questions, that of their religious
faith—or whatever the motive may be—give the
people instruction, elevate their minds, improve their
faculties, stimulate the reason, and I will be bound
that in every phase in which you can view mankind,
they will come out better and happier for the process
to which we have submitted them.—(Cheers.)
The Rev. Dr. BACON (Independent), of Connecti-
cut, spoke in favour of the resolution, which was put
and carried.
The CHAIRMAN then stated that the resolution
having been agreed to, he was authorised to make an
announcement which he was not at liberty to do
before. It was this:—lle had received from Mr.
Edward Lambe, a gentleman living in Norfolk, the
sum of 5001. to be applied in furthering the object of
the society.—(Loud cheers.)
The meeting was addressed by several other
speakers, and the following resolutions were agreed
to :

" That the schools ought to be supported by local
rates, and managed by local authorities specially elected
by the ratepayers for that purpose."
"That this system is eminently practicable, and, steer-
ing clear of all conscientious scruples, would be easy of
adoption and beneficial in results"
The proceedings did not terminate till a late hour.