New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-09
IyRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE


LONDON Feb 24-It is now week since MIR. Fors-
ter's speech and the dissatisfaction with its details
has increased daily. The chorus of applause which
we heard last Friday morning has died away. The
London branch of the Union League which was
inclined at its first meeting to accept the measure as
a whole, is now attacking it on points which MI
Forster declared as essential to the scheme The
Liberal press has changed its tone. The Radicals
are bent on war. Mr.. Fawcett opened fire III letter
to The Times, which greatly damaged the bill. Ills
Characterization Of zone of its principles as perms-
sive compulson" promises to be fatal to that prh-
ciple One Of the leading members OF the League
referred yesterday TO Mr.. FOrsters assertion that
the bill was not a compromise. IL is true,
he said 1.-The bill is not a compromise. IL
is surrender l indicated in my last ietter
the points on which the measure was sure TO DC criu
ciscd but nobody could have anticipated that 30
rcsolute an attack would have been made so soon
after the general satisfaction that followed MI fors
ter speech The League seems to have been III q
kind of perpetual session in London. 1t has issued
circulars specifying the defects in the blll' ana call
ing for agitation and protests which are sure to be
made in the most vigorous way The PRESIDENT Oh INC
London branch, Sir Charles Dixie. being in Paria-
ment is sure to got hearing for whatever the
League may have to say. Other members are also
in the House and are not less resolute to amend the
bill They can reckon no less than six principles
which are principles of the League, and which MI
Forster has embodied in his bill. They are
l. The obligation of local authorities to provide
school accommodation for their districts
.. Local rating supplemented by Government
grants.
s. Management of schools by elected local authori-
ties. combined with Government inspection
a. Tnscctaran instruction, so far as it is secured
by the exclusion of religious teaching from lnspec
ton by the admission of secular schools to pubhc
grants and by the recognition Though in an unsat-
sfactorv manner) of the principles that secular and
religions instruction may be separated, at the Will
of parents or by the resolution of School Boards
g. Free education by authorizing local authorities
to establish free schools maintained by rating
6. Direct compulsory attendance.
But while rejoicing at partial acceptance OF their
programme by the Government, the League RENTS
none of their zeal in dealing with its mistakes They
are convinced that the delay of year before the
bill is to come into operation will practically be
three wears. and they want it shortened. They will
give no support to permissve cOmpulsion They OBJ
ect to the invidious distinction created by the sys-
tenn of free tickets for INDECENT pupils. They lastly
denounce the operation of the new conscience clause
and Justly consider that by authorizing school boards
to decide upon the kind of religious instruction to be
given the bill fosters religions preiudices and ami
mosities encourages sectarian rlyalries, proVokcs
bitter contests. and causes the choice OF School
Boards TO turn exclusively upon theological opinions
instead of upon personal fitness.
The League has represented hitherto the uttermOst
radicallsm on Education questions, but the League
itself is outstrpped in boldness to-day by The DGhy
Ners That journal has 50 often shown an extreme
moderation in its liberalism that it is real pleasure
to find it in the question which Is more
than a political question: a question in which
religious feelings most strongly enlisted. do
not mean that its programme goes beyond the old
programme of the League but its demands in respect
of Mr. Forsters bill are holder than the League has
chosen TO make since the bill was introduced. Ii
demands, in so many words that the conscience
clause shall be abolished. 1t declares that ." the
whole of the religious education must be separated
from the secular instruction, and withdrawn
from all contact with the national clement
in the schools" The provision by which
the local managers aay ask for Government
inspection (which involves Government sanctiOnl of
their religious teaching 1t denounces as fatal"
provision which must be taken out" In the matter
of compusion il is not less cear-s GIFTED and deter
mined Mr. Forster would have mere local by
law and law optional with the local authorities.
The Daily Ne,rs insists that it shall be replaced by
imperial law; that Parliament shall know its own
mind and assume its responsibilities, instead of
Sinking them. know of nothing in this cOntro-
versy more remarkable and more gratifying than the
attitude thus taken by the foremost OF English
Liberal journals. Mr. Forster announced himself in
his speech as a recent convert to the compulsory
principle, while his conversion the secular ques
ton remains to be effected. Nothing could so much
strengthen his young convictions III the one case
and accelerate his conversion in the other, as the
courageous declaration Of such journal. Nor could
any policy so rapidly augment the influence of that
journal with its own party as policy which I'M
plies right to lead on the most momentous ques-
tons. The policy to be pursued is, hear, to allow
she bill to take its second reading unopposcd and
then TO deal in committee with the obnoxious
clauses. 1t is not certain how far the Government
will be prepared to oppose the amendments which
the true friends of national education shall propose.
Mr. Forster is as true friend anybody to a lib
eral and comprehensive system, and he needs am
sure nothing but popular support to much further
than he has yet gone in the direction of unsecaran
and compulsory instruction.
Mr. Burlingames death, Of which we heard this
morning is a surprise and shock to many persons in
England as well as in America. During his foul
months residence in London he had made many
friends, and not few eminent Englishmen who
knew him but slightly had conceived an unusual
liking and respect for his character Few Americans
have made more impression on the London world
AT the outset everything was against him. His mis-
sion was attacked, his objects were dstrusted, hii
| official and personal character were both msrepre
sented. lie was received, may say with bare civ
| lty. The press. with some exceptions and The
Government seemed to be united in determination
TO discredt his embassy and make his success
impossible. Nobody at first went to see him. al
this neglect and abuse left his purpose and IN
| demeanor unchanged. lie called on nobody. sought
no favors resored TO no intrigues My object" h'
| said is no less the advantage OF England than