The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-29 00:00:00

wished to address himself to the night Honourable
Bart. at the head of the Governm,ut, who had promoted
several individuals to lucrative situations, but upon ene
individual had cast a most unenviable notoriety, It
would be in the recollection of the House that in the late
debate, when the question of the opening of Trinity
College, Dublin, to persons of all religious persuasions
was the subject of discussion, the Right Hon. Baronet
said that the Catholic Warden of Galway had signed a
petition in: favour of the Irish Colleges Bill. He (Sir
V. Blake) did not wish to interrupt—for an interruption
even to so great a gun as the Right Hon. Baronet would
not be acceptable—(Laughter)—although he were in error.
The Maynooth Bill was valiantly passed.—(Laughter.)
The Right Hon. Baronet was very improperly alluded to
in the discussion on that measure. It was stated that
he had been guilty of faithlessness to his party, and it
was ultimately alleged that he was guilty of perfidy.
The Right Honourable Baronet was not guilty of
anything like perfidy. He was not, certainly,
in unity with a moiety of his party, but that moiety had
no right to say that he had abandoned his party, because
the greater portion of his party supported him. Those
individuals who attributed perfidy to him had no idea of
the sacred scheme, and the workiug of the Bill.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

Mr. HENLEY wished to ask the Right Honourable
Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment, whether the letter written by him to the magis-
trates of Stafford upon the subject of administering jus-
tice in their own houses applied generally to magistrates?
,Sir J. GRAHAM said, that Hon. Members would
perceive, from the report which lay upon the table, that
in the case referred to, the magistrate had decided a
case of trespass in his own house, without the presence
of a clerk or any other magistrate. He must certainly
repeat his opinion as to the =policy of this line of con-
duct in all cases.
Mr. HENLEY said he had, according to his notice,
another question to put to the Right Hon. Baronet. He
wished to ask whether it was intended to bring in
any measure to relieve magistrates from the re-
sponsibility of dealing with those parties that might
be brought before them? His reason for putting the
question was, that there were now a great number of
railway Bills, in which clauses were inserted requiring
the magistrates to decide summarily upon cases brought
before them by the servants of the Companies.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he did not see any neces-
sity to alter the law.
Mr. HUME said he thought the House would not
object to relieve the county magistrates of all respon-
sibility, and to have stipendiary magistrates appointed
is their places.
Sir J. GRAHAM believed that the county magis-

Crates were of great service, and that such misconduct as
was complained of in the papers on the table was very
rare.

SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE.

In answer to a question from Mr. BROTHERTON,
Sir IL PEEL said that he would not object, with the
concurrence of the House, to move, after to- morrow,
that the House should sit at 12 o'clock fur despatch of

business, and sit throughout.
EDUCATION.

Mr. EWART said that he was compelled to draw the
attention of the House to the subject under his name on
the paper, namely :-1. That a statement be made, on
the part of the Government, of the condition and pros-
pect of such educational establishments as are supported
wholly or partially by a vote of this House, 2. That it
is expedient that the formation of public libraries, freely
open to the public, be encouraged. 3. That it is ex-
pedient that schools for the training of masters be more
extensively promoted. 4. That it is expedient that ap-
pointments to the subordinate offices of Government be
made (as far as possible) by examination of the merits of
the candidates for such offices. He found that the re-
port of the Commissioners were more intended to dis-
guise the facts than to reveal them. They had
laid recently laid upon the table of that House
a ponderous tome en the subject of education
which, he would venture to say, Hon. Members had never
read. The condition of the schoolmasters in Scotland
was nothing more than a state of penury. For many
years they were entitled only to the salary of 351. per
annum. The question arose how much further the
Government could interfere to assist the progress of
education. It would be a great advantage if any Mem-
ber should annually move for a report on the state of
education in England, Ireland, and Scotland. He trusted
the municipalities would come forward and seek for the
establishment of libraries throughout the country. An-
other great source of promoting education was a system
introduced by the present Lord Grey, namely, by the
examination of those persons intended for offices un-
der Government. The Hon. Member the Chancellor of
the Exchequer might smile at the supposed novelty of
this proposition, but it had been tried, and that success-
fully, by the late Administration, and he left it to the
liberality ofehe Right Hon. Bart. to take up the subject
and promote it energetically. It was very possible that
he might take the sense of the House upon the ease now
introduced, but at any rate he thought it could do no
harm to throw out these suggestions to the Government
upon a matter of such undeniable paramount importance.
Sir R. PEEL rose and said, that however late the
period of the session, and however great the pressure of
public business, he thought the Honourable Gentleman
was quite right in calling the attention of the House to
this important subject. ie must say, however, that on
the subject of education the House had already very full
information, and also as regarded its progress. He
thought the suggestion of the Honourable Gentleman
that the Government should, before asking the vote, ex-
press an opinion as to the progress of education, fur the
annual volume presented on this subject was rather too
voluminous for Members to make themselves fully
masters of. However valuable this volume might be, an
oral explanation by a Minister was preferable, as being
more calculated to awaken public attention. The
amount last year granted for educational purposes was
40,0001.—this year 75,0001. was proposed-75,0001.
was the sum voted fur Ireland—so that, in
all, 150,000/. was in one year voted for the
subject of education—a fact which sufficiently
proved the anxiety of the Government on the
subject. He thought the increase of comfines to school-
masters was well worthy of attention ; for they could not
more effectually promote education generally than by
holding out encouragement to the teachers. In 1843 a
sum was granted for the building of 251 schools, and in
1844 for 380. In consequence of the addition t the
objects to which the vote was applied, it had been found
necessary to make an increase of 35,000/. ; but he
thought that must not be the limit.—(Hear.) For there
was so great a desire to educate the working classes, that
he did not think, if an application were made for a larger
grant next year, it would meet with great opposition
He was quite willing to take such a test if he thought it
would be at all useful, but he had very great doubts of
any such test being at all a worthy criterion of capability.
But a further consideration was involved. Was mere
scholastic attainment anything like a proof of capacity
for public office? He did not mean intellectual capability,
but that power to fulfil the practical duties of life,
together with that degree of attainment which would
ensure an appointment advantageous to the public. The
Noble Lord last session had proposed that a portion of
the public funds should be appropriated to granting
prizes to the youths educated in these public schools
after their attainments had been ascertained by public
examination. Now if he were perfectly convinced of the
truth of the decisions come to after these public exami-
nations, he should certainly have no objection, but he
had yet much to learn respecting the principle here
involved before he acceded to its truth, and till he was
he felt it a matter of duty to withhold the grant. It was
solely from an unwillingness to induce the schoolmasters
to seek for public employment that led him to abstain
from all interference. There was great danger in
offering them such rewards. He hoped, under these
circumstances, that the Hon. Gentleman would perceive
that he had dealt with these propositions in a manner
in which they ought to be dealt with.
Mr. WYSE seconded the resolution of his Ho-
nourable Friend. He said that education had now
assumed such a position as to justify any consump-
tion of time and labour in introducing the subject in
an enlarged state under the consideration of the House.
He hoped that the Right Hon. Baronet would take an
enlarged view of all literary institutions and support
them by grants from this House in whatever part of the
United Kingdom they might be placed.
Sir R. PEEL said that it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to collect the information which might lead to
such institutions.
Mr. WYSE was very glad to hear such a statement,
as it was of inestimable value. It would turn the public
mind to a due consideration of the subject. He
did not think that the Right Honourable Baronet
public
olitions
libraries.
mofade any observations with respect to that part
whichHe
(71fre.rwredyeet)o
thtehueghitnstotiwtun-
tiontohfe
councils ought to get the power of levying taxes for the
institution of public libraries under the sanction and
authority of Government. It would greatly encourage
the diffusion of knee ledge, and go far in the correction
of morals in the growing generation. He hoped his
Hon. Friend would be satisfied with the explanation
and recommendation of the Right Hon. Baronet oppo•
site and not think it necessary to put his resolutions to
a division.
Mr. HUME said he felt perfectly satisfied both with
the answer the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the
Government had given, and the able speech of his Hon.
Friend near him (Mr. Ewart.) The present administra-
tion had shown itself peculiarly inclined to extend the
opportunities of education both by the liberal grant re-
commended for such purposes in this country as well as
Ireland. At the same time, though much had been
done, a very wide field was open for carrying out the
laudable work still more efficiently. In Russia every
class of the community were given the means of ready
and early instruction ; maps were exhibited in every
school in that kingdom, and over each city and town de-
picted on them were placed a statistical account of the
population, revenue, and peculiar features of each, whe-
ther the districts were manufacturing or agricultural,
and all such invaluable particulars. As to the second
resolution, he concurred in every word which his Hon.
Friend had said in reference to local libraries ; the im-
portance of such establishments could not be overrated,
and though it would be a very great acquisition to this
country if the same system as was at present pursued in
the Unitedl States could be introduced here, neverthe-
less, although he concurred so fully in the remarks of his
Hon. Friend who had brought forward the present dis-
cussion, he trusted tee resolutions would not be pressed
to a division, . as, le hat was far better than that, a useful
and satisfactory consideration had been given the question.
Mr. HAWES recommended that the same collegiate
system lately introduced for Ireland should be intro-
duced into this country, but, in the want of such a satis-
factory course, he could only tender the resolutions of
his. Hon. Friend his warmest support.
The motion was negatived without a division.
SCHOOL OF DESIGN.

On the question being put that the Speaker leave the
chair,
Mr. W. WILLIAMS rose to move according to
notioi—FOr Select Committee to inquire into the 0,111.