The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-16 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, JAN. 16, 1868.

It is pretty well determined by this time that
Education is to be one of the chief questions of
the day, and all that relates to it, or concerns its
interest, is sure to meet with due regard. There
can be no doubt, therefore, that the report of the
Conference at Manchester, which commenced yes-
terday, will meet with serious attention. The
in
in question was of a representative na-
mtuereet,agnd was brought together by the Manchester
Educational Committee, who, it will be remem-
bered, furthered the prayer of the bill that Mr.
BRUCE and others introduced last year into the
House of Commons. The committee have
arrived at the wise conclusion that these
hon. members should either re-introduce the bill,
or else lend their aid to any measure which the
Government may bring in that is on the same prin-
ciples, and hence they called the Conference toge-
ther to take counsel as to the wisest steps to follow
in pursuance of this object, and to enter into various
matters of detail. A good many gentlemen at-
tended the meeting. Mr. LE MARE, who took the
chair, explained some of the difficulties that were
before them, and more especially the great obstacle
that presented itself in consequence of the
unwillingness of the parents to send the chil-
dren to school, partly from indifference, and partly
from their eagerness to earn money at a very early
age. In order to obviate this, the committee ap-
pear to favour the compulsory system in some form
or other being adopted, declaring that otherwise
there would be " a certain class of children who
would never be brought within the pale of educa-
tion." Some letters were read from different per-
sons expressing their regret at not being able to be
present on the occasion. Oue was from Earl Rus-
SELL, declaring that the writer's views entirely
coincided with Mr. BRUCE'S, and advocating his bill,
but putting in a proviso that it might be as well,
perhaps, not to introduce the " compulsory system"
at first, leaving the House of Commons to de-
cide for itself upon the subject. The Dean of
Manchester moved the first resolution, and in doing
so expressed his belief that this question could not
be separated from the Church ; adding truly enough
" that it appeared to him that very many people
were particularly anxious about conscience in mat-
ters of education, while there was comparatively
little conscientiousness upon any others." The
Dean of Chester bore his testimony to the success-
ful working of the conscience clause. He said
that he had for seventeen years the super-
intendence of three very large schools in Liver-
pool, and in these the different grades of
society were represented; but in all the simple clause
was unsettled in their constitution that those pa-
rents who desired it might have their children
exempted from learning the Church Catechism.
One mistake that the extreme advocates of parti-
cular views are apt to make was set forth here,
and that is the improbability of the poor forming
any very decided judgment upon the matter. The
poor, as the Dean remarked, are not in the habit
of " drawing a very definite distinction between one
school and anoler, in the matter of religion, so
long as they were religiously conducted and well
taught." Many, in fact, express their own opinions
iu a perverse style and with prejudiced feelings, and
thus raise up obstacles that have no foundation.
Time and exprience will, however, tend to remove
many of these drawbacks to success, and even-
tually we may trust that the worst part of the
difficulty will vanish before reason and reflection.
M. BRUCE, upon the opening of the Conference,
delivered an address. The hon. member spoke
fairly enough in support of his views, and
gave some very good advice to his hearers, parti-
cularly in that passage where he exhorted them to
come to the consideration of this disputed point,
not only in a spirit of calmness and candour, but
likewise in a spirit of self-sacrifice. It would
be well if this principle were more fully carried into
effect on these occasions when men meet to advo-
cate particular views, and to support great under-
takings. lf, as Mr. BRUCE put it, they "march to
Parliament with a disunited house, not fully as-
sured or firmly convinced of their meaning, they
would march to battle with the certainty of defeat,
and postpone indefinitely the triumph of a cause
in which the character, the honour, and the pro-
sperity of our country are deeply involved." Local
rates locally administered seem to be what the
eonpdin;iobnuitz,evaas:aisghtot
committee particularly reencocemomf
be expected, great diverg
the best mode of putting the design into execution.
Mr. BRUCE is wise, at any rate, in the spirit with

which he sets about his task, for he declares that

they must look to a steady and continuous progress
rather tha❑ to a sudden and complete change of
system. It is a fatal error which many well mean-
ing persons make to be too eager to introduce sweep-
ing changes without regard or reference to their
popularity or to the inconvenience they may occa-
sion the uninitiated. If Mr. BRUCE'S example be

followed by the other influential promoters of this
scheme, they need not despair of greatness attend-
ing their efforts, for he is not at all addicted
to any particular plan to the exclusion of others
that the exigencies of the case or the desire of in-

fluential persons may put forward a demand.
After the able address of Mr. BRUCE was con-
chided, several speakers addressed the Conference,
and some interesting discussion took place. The
motion was carried, to the effect that the chief pro-
moters of the bill of last session should introduce it,
or else give their support to any measure which the
Ministers might bring in on similar principles.
This is a great point gained, because it seems to
promise that there shall be no extreme line taken
upon the question, but that education should receive
that share of attention which it pre-eminently
merits, at the same time removing from its consi-
deration those angry passions, and bitter feelings,
which the controversial advocacy of one-sided views
must necessarily introduce into the matter. So far
as we can judge from this initiatory meeting, it
seems as if the work was begun in the right spirit,
and may bid fair to arrive at as satisfactory a result
as its vast importance and great interest so espe-
cially call for and deserve.

The news which the Atlantic cable transmitted
yesterday was somewhat startling, and gives us a
clear idea of the di,torbed and unsettled state of
American politics. With all the old constitutional
doctrines in full vigour, and the State laws in most
instances unrepealed, the administration of public
affairs is rapidly inclining to anarchy. Every
power in the State claims to be supreme, and the
consequence is a perpetual conflict of authority and
clash of orders. The fault of this lies, of course,
with Congress, which has endeavoured to exercise
the powers of Legislature and Executive in
one. The American Houses claim to be
King, Lords, and Commons in one, and the
manifest change in the national feeling has failed to
moderate the assumption and intemperance of their