The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-15 00:00:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Mr. FORSTER asked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer whether the education of the people having been re-
ferred to in her Majesty's Speech,
it was the in-
tention of the Government to bring forward
during this session any bill affecting the elemen-
tary education of the people of England and Wales?
The hon. gentleman took the opportunity of going at
some length into the question of education, and said the
time had arrived when it was impossible to leave the educa-
tion of the rising generation to the inability of the parent or
the apathy of the public. The subject was one of the
highest importance, and as it had been referred to in her
Majesty's most gracious Speech on the opening of Parlia-
ment, ho hoped the right hon. gentleman would state the
intentions of the Government on the subject.
The CH.ANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
subject, no doubt, was ono of the highest importance, but
be must decline to enter into the discussion of such a
subject at that moment. If the hon. gentleman bad
made a motion on the subject the Government would not
have shrunk from stating the course they thought the
country ought to follow. (Hear, hear.) He could on that
occasion, therefore, only say that it was the intention of
the Government to introduce a measure during the
present session of Parliament with respect to
the elementary education of the children of the
working classes. (Hear, hear.) It was out of no disre-
spect to the hon. gentleman that ho declined to enter into
the discussion of the matter that evening, but solely be-
cause at that particular time he was not prepared to enter
into the consideration of a matter of such very great im-
portance.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS BILL.

Mr. WA.LPOLE moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to place the public schools at
Eton, Harrow, Westminster, and other places under better
regulations than at presented existed.
Sir H. VERNEY recommended the insertion of a pro-
vision in the bill to extend the benefits of Harrow School
to the humbler classes.

Mr. GLADSTONE admitted that some attempt ought
to be made to obtain a comprehensive view of the metro-
politan schools as a whole, so as to apply their resources
with just reference to the wants and necessities of the
metropolis. But the question was to what classes that
principle would properly apply, NA it appeared t 9 h

that doubt and difficulty would be interposed by any mo-
tion which would be an obstacle to the progress of the
bill. The measure was, he thought, valuable in this sense,
that it would bring into existenco new powers, which
would be in a position to act with effect both on the con-
dition of the schools and likewiso on the establislitnonts.
Apart from the question of the metropolis, it would, he
thought, be a mistake, after the laborious investigation. of
years, to send a bill to a select committee simply on the
grounds stated by Mr. Ayrton.

After sour, obs,+rvationsfro•a lir. Neate, Mt.. Bintitielc,
aad Mr. Darby Grins!),

Sir S. NORTIICOTE said he thong!it tho point to bo
considered was not how the education of particular Locali-
ties or schoAs should be best provided for, but, assuming
that it was desirable that the highest education should be
to a great extent classical, and embrace other fields of
lc:truing, i❑ what way the schools impar:,ing that educa-
tion could be made most conducive to the general wants of
the cointr•r.

The in. a ion of Mr. Ayrton not heing pressed the bill was
eventually read a second time.

The Eurl of MAYO then proceeded, in a house of less
than 20 members (one-fourth of whom only belonged to the
sister country), to move for leave to bring in a bill to re-
new for one year the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland)
Bill, and in doing so declared that it was the earnest con-
viction of the Government that it was absolutely neces-
sary for the preservation of the peace in that country
to frustrate the efforts of the Fenian conspiracy. The"
facts of that conspiracy were now avowed, and known to
be a rebellion, and the establishment of an Irish republic ;
and the information in the possession of the Government
showed that both in America and on the continent of
Europe considerable activity prevailed amongst men who
were connected with the conspiracy, which was ruled and
guided by those who had thrown off their allegiano to
the British Crown, and boasted that they had transferred
it to another Power. Referring to the operation of the act
now about to expire, the noble lord explained that at the
present moment 96 persons were in custody; that during
the year 1867 there had been 265 arrests ; that in the three
months of November, December, and January last there
had been 33 ; that since the act was renewed on the Ist of
June the arrests were 81; and that out of the 265 arrests in
1867 there were only 11 occupiers of the land, whilst 95
were of persons who had passed the greater portion of their
time in America. The class engaged in the conspiracy
were chiefly confined to the lowest and the least educated
section of the Irish people, and he was happy to say that
in almost every instance the Government had been able
to check and thwart the designs of the conspirators in time
to prevent any serious consequences.
Mr. BAGWELL expressed his surprise that such a bill
shculd be introduced before the Government had made
any statement with regard to measures of amelioration
and pacification for Ireland. The Church, the Land, and
the Education questions pressed for an early solution, and
he warned the Government that if they were not prepared
to deal with those questions they were not fit to Occupy
the Treasury bench.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill, which was
read a first time, and ordered to b 3 read a second time on
Monday next.
The house adjourned at 20 minutes to 10 o'clock.