Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-09-21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DIFFICULTIES.

QUOTATIONS. CTARlAN DIFFICULTIES. (.
The factory bill recently before the English
Parliament contained originally some ppSisions
for the education of the factory children. These
excited sectarian jealousies. which being attempt
ed to be cohcilated by notifications Of the bill,
others equally decided were introduced, and the
educational features were at last sacrificed. DIFF
fculiies Of somewhat similar character are en-
countered by the school systems Of some Of our
own States. Mr.. Walsh, in recent Paris letter,
takes the following notice Of the fate Of the fac
tory scheme in Parliament:
"ln the course Of a few months or weeks, in
Great Britain lately, more than two millions Of
signatures were given 10 petitions against the
factory bill Of Sir James Graham, and, when he
Withdrew and altered it, nearly the SAME nutiber
appeared against the amended clauses. The bill
finally mfscarriea from jealousy Of the too large
share which the Government, one hand, was |
accused of meaning to secure to the Established |
Church in the education of the masses, and, on
the otheT--the Church itself-of allowing tito the
| Dissenters and Catholics. Thus the people lost |
all the good that intended and reaLy prepared
Tor them in the bill and what desideratum! 4
principal london journal expresses itself in these
/ terms, after lamenting the inHexbility OF secta-
ran rivalry and prejudice ''ihe official reports
show That the children of the working classes in
host Of our manufacturing districts are living in
I, state of blind Ignorance and consequently inn
morality, which would be disgrace TO any Chris
tan people, and such as is not Witnessed in any
other country the face Of God's earth There
AshIey's moan in the f4J! psof Commons over
the Disappearance of the Educational clauses Of
the factory bi--he having devoted ten years to
personal investigation and The collection Of mate
rails such might beget remedial laws. Sir
I James Graham had tried honestly to reconcile the
religious parties 10 some system by which benefit
would accrue TO the uneducaied of whatever de-
, nomination. In the House of Commons there is
proportionably much less of religious exclusive
ness-we must not style it bigotry or fanatcism-
!, than out of doors; yet even there Mr.. Hume
could get very little support for his propositions
to coniine the business of the schoomaster 70 the
secular and moral training OF the children, and
leave all religions instruction 10 religious teachers,
i distinct from the school. The Morning Chroni-
: Gle observes, i'll reference 10 its signal failure
: Public opinion is decidedly opposed in England
to purely secular education for the people,
Those who take an active interest in popular
10 schools consider some specific arrangement foI
d religious instruction as Indispensable. At The
d same time, 1t is impossible 10 combine the differ
n ent religious bodies in system. Government
r can be auxiliary to their several schemes; and
= that is all The voluntary societies may be as
5. sisted and subjected TO special and SANITARY regu
it la,ions." was glad to learn, from the same au
IS thorty, that the fifty thousand pounds sterling
II per annum which the Government gives to thu
p Irish Board of Education, has been administered
with concord and impartial benefcence-witi
T. broad patriotic Christianity. The subjoined reso
IN iutions, which were announced in the House O
e. Commons by two Irish members, (Crawford ant
c. Wise,) adduce maXms Of which the quotation
Il may not be amiss for of the u. States:
I'd THAT no measure Tor the promotion of nation
al al education can be satisfactory, just, or polite
IS which gives an ascendant controlling power il
g any FORM or under any pretence TO the Establish
T. ed Church, or to any sect of Christians, tn,
d. religious education of the children of any othe
tie sect; or which assumes right, the part o
'e the State, to enforce by compulsory enactment
r the adoption of any prescribed system of religi
Gus instruction, all shcf interferences being VIC
Ut la,ion of the rights Of conscience, at varianc
rs with the true spirit of Christian liberty, and prac
~ ticaly hostile to the advancement of religion AM
ry morality among the people of this country.
On That in any system of national education
10 fs1efods ACCOMMODATIONS, it is essential that th
u experimenting board council to whom is to b.
~ conhded the choice OF inspectors or approbato,
nj oil books to be used in schools, should, as far
possible, be so constituted as fairly to represen
these denominations, and to be Secure from tn
Vaccinations arising out of Ministerial changes
ne and that the committee be instructed to Introduce
Into the Dill provisions to attain these obiecs''