The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-10 00:00:00

THE EDUCATION QUESTION

The MAYOR said the next subject upon the paper was the
motion of which Mr. Councillor Bolton had given notice,
namely—

" That it be an instrruction to the Education Committee,
that the children of Roman Catholics shall not, iu the corpo-
ration schools, be required to use or read any book whatever
against which their parents or guardians may have conscien-
tious objections."
Mr. BOLTON rose and said, that, when be gave notice of
the instruction to the committee, just read by the mayor, it
was under the strong impression that there were members of
the Education Committee whose prejudices were so strong
and so pertinatious in expressing their opinions, that a ma-
jority of the committee were not to be free to act upon their
own convictions. Under that impression, he had given the
notice. He should very briefly state that the schools were
supported from the surplus fundsof the corporation, and that
that the municipal law laid down rules, very distinctly, for the
appropriation of that surplus. There were two ways only
in which that surplus could be employed, and those ways
were clearly defined, namely, for the benefit of the inhabitants,
and the improvement of the town. Now as Catholics were a
large portion of the community of this town, and were inha-
bitants, he maintained that any surplus funds to be ex-
pended in education, could only be employed in such a way
that that class of the community should have their fair share
—not only their share, indeed, but, inasmuch as they were
poorer than the rest f the community, they should have
more than their share of that advantage. He would further
state that whatever rules might be adopted, he trusted they
would be made with regard to the conscientious convictions
of the community, and that conscience should, in no case, be
violated. Since he came into that room, it had been inti-
mated to him, that there was a desire, upon the part of the
Education Committee, not to forego these considerations ;
and induced to believe, as he was, that their case would be
considered by the committee, he should not persevere in the
motion of which he had given notice : but leave it to the
committee, and when their report was furnished, he should
then take such opportunities of discussing that report as
circumstances might seem to justify. Before he sat down lie
would just throw out the hint that as this question very
greatly agitated the public, it might be expedient and proper
before the council came to discuss it, that the report of the
committee should be printed for the use of the members of
the council. At present he withdrew the motion of which he
had given notice.

Mr. BusnELL asked the Mayor whether Mr. Bolton had
power to withdraw his notice.
Mr. BOLTON.—Certainly • I have not made it.

Mr. SANDS said he might state on behalf of the committee
that they did not thank Mr. Bolton for the high compliment
he had paid to the committee; that notwithstanding what he
had said they would act independently according to their own
view of the case, and not be dictated to by any individual.
(Hear, hear.) He thought it only right to state that much
for himself and the rest of the committee. He was surprised
that Mr. Bolton should have cast such aspersions upon inde-
pendent gentlemen upon the committse.
Mr. EARLE was proceeding to make some observations
upon the conduct of Mr. David Hodgson, in the course of
which he said he could enumerate many conservative gentle-
men in the council who had expressed their regret that he
was upon the committee or in the council ; when
Mr. COOPER called Mr. Earle to order, there being no
question before the council.
Mr. EARLE protested that he was in order.

The MAYOR said, that as there was no motion before the
council Mr. Alderman Earle was out of order; the subject
had been referred to the committee, and when their report
was made would be the time for Mr. Earle to speak.
Mr. BUSHELL said this motion of Mr. Bolton had created
considerable discussion in the town, and had given rise to the
question as to how -

The MAYOR repeated that there was no question before the
council, and decidedly Mr. Bushell had no right to go on.
Mr. JOHN SMITH.—I imagine I cannot be heard to-day
Mr. Mayor?

The MAYOR.—Certainly not.
Many members then rose from their seats, and in a few
minutes afterwards the council separated.

A MAYOR WITHOUT A VOTE IN THE COUNCIL.—At the
election of the Mayor of Davenport, Mr. W. P. Billing, was
chosen, and immediately afterwads rejected as an alderman,
or in other words, ejected from the council. The council
may if they think fit, select a mayor from among the
burgesses, and therefore, Mr. Billing can preside over the
council, but he cannot vote, being neither alderman nor
councillor.

THE VILLAGE CHURCH.—The villagers have a feeling of
property in their own parish church. Generally venerable
from extreme antiquity, and firm as the hills around it, it
stands as a part of their native land, and to endure with the
country to all ages. It appeals, moreover, to all the affec-
tions, by motives which penetrate the inmost heart ; bring-
ing before the worshipper his birth, his domestic happiness
and duty, the memory of departed friends, and his own death.
Within, he sees the font at which he was baptized, and the
altar where he knelt at his marriage; around it he contem-
plates the graves of his friends, and the spot which one day
will probably be his own. These are charms which speak to
every bosom. Every one also feels that a picture of English
scenery is incomplete without the old grey tower, or the vil-
lage spire—upon which the eye rests as the lovliest picture of
the landscape. And who can bear the distant bells in the
cheerfulness of a summer's morning, without feeling their
soothing power enter his very soul ?-oaeller on the Church.
TITHES AND THE IRISH PAPISTS.—If the obligation to
pay tithes to the Irish church be the great grievance under
which the Roman Catholics are weighed down (which I deny),
and if this be the only obstacle which stands in the way of
restoring peace and tranquillity to Ireland, as Lord Alvanley
infers, a much cheaper and more effectual means of ac-
complishing its removal can be devised than the payment of
the priests, recommended by his lordship. There are in Ire-
land, I believe, about four thousand priests who, on a moderate
calculation, for confessions, marriages, burials, extreme
unction, masses, months' minds, churching of women, priests'
coin, &c., receive about £600,000, thus affording to each a
salary of about £l5O per annum. In this sum salaries of
bishops are not included. Take, it however, at £600,000,
and large as it is, who is there that would not be willing to
sacrifice it, provided there were no surrender of principle in-
volved therein, if by doing so peace and harmony would be
secured to Ireland ? A much less sum, however, will be re-
quired, if the greivauce of tithe be all that is necessary to be
removed. I have said that the amount of tithe, payable to
the clergy of the Established Church, is about £300,000, half
the sum necessary to be paid to the Roman Catholic priests,
supposing they would be satisfied with it. Let lands be pur-
chased by the government at every opportunity, producing a
yearly amount equal to that of the tithes ; and according as
the land is purchased, let the proceeds be applied to the use
of the clergy, in lieu of their tithes, the expense will then
come gradually off the state, without suddenly depreciating
the value of money or increasing that of land ; tithes will be
extinguished in a few years in name and reality, and the pro-
sumed grievance, arising from the obligation to pay them,
will be completely and for ever removed. The reason for
vesting
the money in land must be obvious, it will give the
property a character of security and permanance which it
otherwise could not have, and will cause the income of the
clergy to fluctuate according to the changes of the times.—
Lord Roden 's Obeervaticnts an Ireland.