The Sun.
London, England, 1828-10-09 00:00:00

BRIGHTON ROYAL DRITf§H SofIGOLS.

(From the Brighton Guardian-)
Thursday last being' the day Appointed for laying
the foundation stone of the. Schools, erecting in
Upper Edward-street, and for holding a Public
Meeting in connexion therewith; great interest. was
C
excited, more particularly as it had been announced
that Lord 'John Russell would -.assist in the cere-
mony,- and take the Chair at the Meetings:. His
Lordship arrived from: London (where, on the pre-
ceding day, he-had assisted .in the
.opening of the-
• Londoit "U.Trti.viassity) about half-past one, being met
by some of the*Gentletnens,l the Committee: After
the ceremony Pf laying the Foundation Stone had
been gone through, the Assembly. dispersed,.prO
ceeding to the Old Ship Rooms:
THE MEETING.
At three o'clock, Lord John Russell, accompa,.
. tied by the Qentlemen of the. Committee; entered
the large room of the Old Ship, and advanced to
the platform 'which was raised at the upper end of
the room:- MONTAGU BURGOYNE, Esq. proposed,
" That Lord John,Russell be requested to preside,"
which.. being. carried by acclamation, his Lordship
took the Chair, and - proceeded to open the business
•of the day. He regretted the absence of Charles
Barclay, Esq. M.P., who was prevented from at-
tending the meeting. His Lordship observed, that
it" was unnecessary to occupy much of the time of
those present in expatiating on the principles of the
schools, the first stone of which he had just assisted
in laying. They appeared to possess two principal
features--they enforced no particular creed to the
exclusion of others--and, works of industry formed
an important part of education. With regard to
the first of these," said his Lordship, " my opinion,
the result of much and mature deliberation, is formed
and not liable to change. re claiming your support
in favour of these schools, it is not my wish,
to-- injure the Established Church. While we
regret that its Members do not co-operate with
us, let us think as freely of others as we would
have them think of us ; let us believe that they can-
not conscientiously act with us in forwarding this
great work. But, above all, let the temper with
which our undertaking shall be conducted prove that
we are desirous. of conciliation,; let 'us reject dis-
cussions of a hostile character. Let.-our endeavours
be liMited to the_spread. of knowledge,to all classes,
and hope that our efforts may prosper under the
blessings of Providence.—(Applause.) lhe other
feature of these schools calk; for our warinestAppro-
bations--I refer to the industry which forms a mate-
rial part of the education and system of these
schools. These advantage' conjoined give to the
poor the full benefit of the establishment, which in-
culcates habits of industry for after life. The:know-
ledge they obtain will solace them while employed
in works of industry, and the fruits of their industry
will acquire for them that leisure during which fur-
ther knowledge may be -pursued." His Lordship
having called for the Report, sat down amid great
applause.
Mr. BURGOYNE adverted to the unavoidable ab-
sence of John Mortlock, Esq., who had proved him-
self the staunch friend of this Institution. His con-
tributions had been princely.'
Mr. SKENE then read-the Report.
THOS. READ
_KEMP, Eaq.M.P., felt it a great pri-
vilege to be permitted to move--,." That the Report
be received, adopted, and printed, under the direc-
tion of the Committee.",
War. ALLEN, Esq. (the TreaSUrer of the Parent
Society), rose for the purpose Of seconding the mo-
tion proposed by the Hon. Member. He rejoiced
to find the great work of education so prosperous.
Its friends were no longer cautious in adopting mea-
sures for its advancement. Its advantages were now
recognised even in Parliament, and the means. -of
carrying it into effect were now only discussed. The
principles of the Schools being on Abroad and com-
prehensive scale, were extensively useful; but the
great feature "of the
.plan was the. union: and pos
operation of all who- lov4:ireligitin--their-eatintry—,
and mankind.—(Applatige.)" clEinot 'cine.stion
sects," continued the speakersg'eueObjecit ca to com-
bine the efforts of all gocet men in this works—
In 1818, the
.mechanical part of are plan of our
schools was in operation in. Russia, where the most
talented few were chosen from the various regiments
of Cossacks, to be instructed in the, plan, in order
that they. might diffuse knowledge among their fel-
low-soldiers. I had the gratification of.witnessing
this scene myself; and in a conversation' with Prince
Alexander Galitzin, I took' "oeeaaion to regret that
so fine an opportunity of' diffusing religious knows
ledge should be lost. The Prince communicated
my regret to the-Emperor, and, with his sanction,
we prepared a selection from the Scriptures, which
the Emperor received with favour, and ordered.the
same to' be printed and distributed_ from Siberia to
Odessa. This selection has since been translated
into the various languages of the Continent, and has
tended, in a very great measure, to soften down the.
barbarities of former ages." The Resolution was,
then put and carried.
Dr. KING, in moving a resolution that the meet-
ing gratefully Acknowledge the liberal encourage-
ment of these schools which has been afforded by
the Noblemen and Gentry who have already ex-
pressed their approbation of them, would state that
he was a member of the Established Church, with
the interests of which he could not possibly con-
ceive that this institution could interfere; and be
was strengthened in his opinion by the fact of the
head of that church being the patron of the Parent
British Schools. There are those who complain of
the increase 'of knowledge and education among the
lower orders; such objection is unfounded; the very
words themselves contain a refutation.- Knowledge
removes the people from ignorance, and enables
them to distinguishaiuseful good.
Wits-Jot MACKiNNON, Esq., in seconding the
resolution, begged to say that he also was a member
of the Establiabed Church ; and though he differed
from the Noble Chairman in his seat in Parliament,
and usually divided against him, yet he, would do
him the justice to say, that no man deserved better
of his country.---(Applause.)—Whether he. be eon-
sidered as a senator,
an author, or as a private gen-
tleman, he was equally estimable ; and happy would.
it be for the nation, if every one were to pass .his
time and devote his means to similar purposes, Mr.
Burgoyne was entitled to thanks, both for his laud.
able exertions and for his gallantry to the ladies.
Mr. BURGOYNE returned thanks.
Rev. J. N. GOULTY—My Lord,•assembled as we
now are, to prepare the means for emancipatingthe
moral and immortal mind from ignorance and au-
perstition4 We cannot withhold the expression of
hallowed delight at the astonishing advance which
education, philanthropy, and benevolence, have made
among us, during-the last half century. Why, my
Lord, it is scarcely more than that period since
Granville Sharp—a name endeared to me as one of
the ancestors of my own children—obtained, on be-
half of mere humanity, the glorious verdict of our
highest Court of Law, that " The slave who seta
his foot on British ground becomes that instant
free." (APPlnose..) To this great triumph on the
2,2 d of June, 17.7 (after a long and arduous strug-
gle), may perhaps, io.no small degree, be attributed
the subsequent strides of liberal sentiment. In the
progress of the ten years which immediately fel-
lowed, the liberty of mind and its general cultivation
began to excite attention ; arid in. 1782 a beam of
heavenly light darted across our moral horizon, in the
establishment of Sunday Schools;by :Roht. Raikes of
filoucester. That streak of light, my Lord, like the
messenger of morn, has shone brighter and brighter in
this meridian day. Theadmirablesystemsof Lancaster
and Bell quicklyfollowed,
an_,alulOst simultaneously
our Missionary Institutions, about 179.5, which, by
supplying-voluntary labourers in foreign landss.pre-
pared the way for those universal blessings, the
British, and Foreign Bible and British and Foreign
School Societies.—(Applause.)—And now behold !
one University in the Metropolis of Great Britain
already reared, and this very day, this mensorable
day, commencing its operations; and another Similar

Institution projected, to do do increasing honour—
(applause)—tothe reign of our gracious Monarch