The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
ENGLAND And AMERICA.
A British Cabinet Minister'S Opinion
of Tammany.
The Right Hon. w. Il. Forster on Schools
and Slavery.
Considerations on Republicanism and the
Labor Question in Great Britain.

atone administration one OF Her Majesty'e Minis
ter,s IS now visit to this country. At the
FIFTH Avenue Hotel, last evening, representative
of the HERALD met Mr.. Forster and his nephew, Sir
Thomas Fowel Buxton, grandson OF 1.-The Buxton"
oil antl.savery fame. In course OF conversation
several questions were commented upon OF public
interest, and q summary OF that commentary Is
given below
Mr. Forster stated that this was his FIRST visit to
America and that the visit had to him q peculiar
interest His father, he said, was Quaker preach
er receiving. OF course no emoluments for his
preaching who had all his life been more or less
deeply interested in the slavery question, and
some wears ago he came TO America to
talk quietly and without any demonstration,
particularly with the planters in the South, about
the slaves and their relationship to their masters.
He had been received very kindly, and during the
progress OF this work he died in Tennessee, and 1t
was TO attach some memorial OF respect to his
grave that had been enc OF the motives that had
prompted his INT. Forster's) visit
"You,n said the HERALD reporter "Mr. Forster,
were among the faithful band who in England
stood by the North in the great civil war"
Eyes, had never any doubt as TO the ultimate
result OF that II is to be regretted that there
was and is now, l suppose, in America MIS-
taken feeling that England sy mpatnized with the
South; that mistake arose rom taking the opinion
OF London society the exponent OF the English
ieelng.r
"Does the present condition OF the South cause
you any disappointment, Mr.. Forsters'
II scarcely know what to say about that. At
present have TO take the newspaper accounts OF
the trouble and we are led to believe in England
that your way OF giving the news is so sensational
that we are inclined to think the reports may be
exaggerated l am, however, going to travel
south and Judge for myself what the effects OF
emancipation are upon the people. am watching
the progress Of the Southern trouble with the
greatest interest and whatever may DE the state
oiflcultles there can be no doubt in my mind that
President Grant is right in maintaining the law as
against armed dlscontents. / know that our
experiment in the direction OF the abolition
OF slavery in the West Indies had proved eminently
successful In the way OF commercial prosperity.
The South showed so wondrous a devotion to their
cause your great conflict that should be very
sorry to find them not making the best of what 10
them must be the inevitable stuation.n
~ see, Mr.. Forster. that you were at the Tam
many Convention yesterday; 1t would be very
interesting TO know how the proceedings struck
you.n
''Well, must say that was very much pleased
with it. BY the kindness our friend Mr.. Hewitt
We had the privilege of being there, though sup
think that which struck me with the most sur
prise was the admirable discipline. think the
Charmans gavel is a wondrous instrument. II all
your public meetings are like the one at Tammany
Hail yesterday cannot see how chairman can
trouble arose about an Assembly district the gavel
what did you think Of the speaking, Mr..
j. II thought the speaking was very good. The
speech Of Colonel Fellows was well delivered, with
earnestness and 1t had also considerable iorce
IN It. ! had an opportunity OF hearing Mr..
Wickham, the Tammany candidate for Mayor. He
did not say much, but what he did say was In
good taste, and favoraby impressed me. He
looked TO me like an average Mayor. TAX.
lng. about speaking, there IS one thing
1t is this. though the people appear to live in a
great hurry and are quick and active In all their
movements, their speech Is deliberate and slow.
notice the men on the steamboats,, In the hotels
and elsewhere, and when they are talking they
seem TO me 10 be thinking quickly enough, but
1t possible that they nave so many thoughts that
they are compelled to give them ont slowly to pre-
vent them tumbling one over the other"
"Going back to politics. Mr.. Forster, did the
mode OF nominating men TO offices, as you saw 1t
at the Tammany Convention commend itself to
II don't think thought much about that. !
presume they were selected after party deliDera-
lion. Mr.. Kelly who seemed to be a favorite with
The people, appeared TO have great power. What
concerned me then and has since was the con-
slderatlon OF how q man with strong views as to
public policy was to make those views felt In his
party SO as TO bring about practical result IN q
THIS was intervening the interviewer, and
what the HERALD representative said his modesty
prevents him repeating. On allusion to Mr..
lana that gentleman replied
Eyes; succeeded IN getting the Ballot bill
through the House, and il is now law. think, too,
our ballot Is really secret, which, as lar as | can
make out, don't think yours is.n
''You have also Identified your name with the
school question IN England, Mr.. Forster. and
you nave done there what we nave only attempted
here-given tee people a compulsory education2n
substantially We have compulsory education.
II there is any part OF the Education act OF Eng.
land for which am specially responsible 1t vas
the introduction OF the provisions with regard to
compulslon, and al the time they were introduced
IN the House do believe 1 had more
jority Of those Who heard me- 1t has been
received in the country better even than antlci-
pated There have been several convictions OF
parents for not sending their children, aud in Liy.
erpool two parents have been sent TO prison.
Public opinion seems TO ndorse IT.. 1t is, how
ever, an optional law; compulsory bylaws may or
may not be passed by q town.
'The religious question has been aud is a din l.
Guilty in England IN connection with schools, too,
Yes; but that is much too large question 10
go into now-we have not time for It. But am
reminded thinking OF 1t here IN America OF what
once read your Mr. Beecher had said about this.
He. In one OF his public addresses. substan-
italy SAID, Let the pubic schools tase
care OF the secular education, and le.
the Cnurch take care Of the religious.
Now that TO me is, IN effect saying that only the
priest can teach religion, and that religion Is
something separate from all other knowledge.
That is q position / am always ready 70 contro.
vert. AS far as England Is concerned, believe II
would be wrong for the state, as state, TO de-
clare that religion should not be taught in the
common day schools. / believe 1t would have a
most serious and deplorable effect on the whole
legislation OF the country If we declared by act OF
Parliament that the one subject that we would
not allow 10 be taught 10 children III England Ii
the subject OF religion.r
"Have you seen any OF our public schools. Mr
Forsterfn
yes; have seen two--a boys and girls'-a
that have had time for before we 90 West. When
We return intend TO WISH the pubic schools more
thoroughly. 80 lar as / have seen the American
schoos | nave been surprised at their size and
the readiness with when all classes OF children
mix together. | want so 10 observe your school
system that may form some judgment as TO the
pracucapllity OF son OF mine sitting beside the
son OF my coachr1an ana both graduating to-
gether from The primary school 10 the university.
AT present don't quite comprehend that must
confess.n
sis England getting more conservative, or is IT
getting republican, Mr. Forster ~
l.