The Principality

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-> .c. .)o.a. THE BALLOT. I s the House of Commons, on Wednesday, Mr. Berkeley "That it is expedient in the election of members to in Parliament, that the votes be taken by ballot." Col. Thompson, Mr. Cobden, Mr. W. P. Wood, and Mr. Villiers (supported the motion. Lord John Russell opposed it. The House divided, and the numbers were—Ayes, 8G; Noes, 81 loajority./or the motion, 5 This. is encouraging to the new and to the friends of freedom generally. The Welsh memher present was the han. member for Car- marthen, who voted for the motion.

THE LITTLE. INNOCENT. IT would amuse any sage philosopher, if he could manage to obtain a leisure hour, to witness the position of several parties in Wales in regard, to State Education. He may be able to comprehend the honest and untiring Free Educa- tionist who adheres to his point with unquenchable ardour, because he believes in his conscience that he is fighting the battle of right against might, and who is determined even if lie should have to stand alone to proclaim the principles I. of political and moral rectitude. He is instant in season and out of season. He watches the movements of the enemy with untiring energy and unremitting perseverance. His own citadel is guarded with sleepless care, and is defended with indomitable courage. Such a man can be understood. The State Churchman, too, who has long feasted on the fat of the land, and who deems. it the bounden duty of ths State to do any and everything to enhance the fortunes of his Church, can be easily comprehended.. The great puzzle will be the conduct of certain, sections of Dissenting sects. If a State- Church is a great and grievous anomaly in. any country besides Ireland, it is so assuredly in Wales. Dis- senters of all denominations know this. They cannot con- ceal from their eyes, however beclouded, that our country owes its social and moral elevation, under God, to the efforts of Dissenters. The sufferings through which our fathers passed, and the brutal indignities inflicted on our mothers, are yet fresh in our memories. Their groans have scarcely died" away, and they have hardly ceased to echo in our ears. It is not seventy-five years since an ancestor of ours in com- pany with a Methodist preacher had the honour of being hunted out with a spear from a town in Wales. Such were the state of the country and the disposition of the people under the moral training of the State Church, that outrages of this kind were by no means uncommon. There is not a neighbourhood in the principality which has not its own little tale of suffering to tell. The Church was in the as- cendant, and ruled with a rod of iron.. She was, however, prostrated by the power of truth, and lay for years in igno- minious helplessness. At length she is making a desperate struggle to regain her former position. The meanswlerehy she seeks to become once more the exclusive dealer in htul\an souls is State Education. Forgetful of" the innate and spontaneous of truth, there arc some Dissenters who pride themselves on respect- ability and moderation, desirous of fighting the Church with 1 1 c'i IV her own weapons, and of obtaining, their humble share of Government patronage. They do not seem to consider that DLseut is a spiritual necessity, and can never make the sal- vation of souls an affair of pounds, shillings, and pence. It was not called into being to become a secular schoolmaster. Its mission from the eternal throne is for nobler and more glorious purposes. Apart from the question of purpose, it ought to be well known that the social position of Dissen- ters is such as to disable them to. imitate the State Church. We may receive Government money, but not in sufficient quantity to compete with the Church on that ground. As. rival traders we have no chance. If the affair is to be re- dueed into a scramble for money, the days of Dissent will be soon numbered, and to tell the truth we should not care how soon, if it came to that point. The Establishment un- derstands pecuniary concerns better than we do. Its cha racter is derived from meddling with public money; ours from rigid abstinence from State rewards. If we evince an anxiety to divide treasury spoils, then Dissent becomes a thing of earth, an unspiritual, mercenary trading principle.. Character wilt be gone, and with it efficiency and life. Tilere are now in vVales several Dissenters who are dis- satisfied with everything around them. They don't like the real thoroughgoing State educationists, and won't love the go 11 Free party. They dislike the minutes 11 as a whole," and seem to be waiting to see if Government will propose an unexceptionable system for their acceptance. They want us to act on the defensive; aggressive warfare they detest, forgetting that our very inactivity will be the pretext of Government for interfering. They love State education dearly—it is indeed their darling innocent. The PRINCIPA- LITY, the Dysgedydd, Seren Gomer, IXiwygiiw, Itedyddiivr, the Cronicl, the Traethodydd, and Yr jimserait, the leading organs of public opinion in Wales, all agree in writing it down a dangerous monster. Our State-aid friends say no, and protest it is a darling cherub. We are unanimous in declaring it a malicious elf sent abroad in the British isles for sheer mischief. They discredit us, and press their pat- tern of an; angel warmly to their bosom,-the more so per- haps because we persist in opposing it. Indeed and indeed, it is their dear little innocent. Now we greatly respect many State educationists. We are willing to. believe that they have no selfish ends in view, further than to, save themselves a little money and exertion. They are anxious to do good, but they scruple not as to the means. We blame them for inattention to the voice of the past, and are compelled to knit our eyebrows in witnessing their recklessness in regard to the future. State education, depend upon it, is not a darling innocent. It never has and never will be conducted for the benefit of the people, but for the safety of governments. On this subject we beg to cor- roborate our remarks by the testimony of a most unexeep- tionable witness—a witness who has qualified himself to speak by reading" scores of volumes" on the subject—the Rev. Henry Griffiths, of Brecon. The rev. gentleman thus writes in our paper of July 7th The despots of the com- tinent hoped to. subdue education by connecting- it officially with themselves, and we see the result!" Education on the Continent, then, was made a State affair iii-o)-dei- fo. subdue it. Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest this candid adinis- sion of a learned and reverend gentleman, who is so anx- ious to promote the reception of State aid in our own country. And why do the Americans support common schools? Simply in order to protect the republic, by making these schools the nurseries of democratic ideas. The Ame- ricans are wishful to promote the republican idea of equality, hence their common schools for all classes. In proportion to their departure from this design will their constitution be endangered. The English, Go.vernment too is wishful to have the minds and energies of the people under its thumb. Here public opinion is omnipotent. No government can withstand its triumphant sway. What then is to be done ? Why, form it to your mind and direct it according to your taste. But what agency can do it ? State education, and no other. Some good and charitable men cannot believe Government to have any ulterior designs in view. They tell us of the great fairness of the terms offered, and point to the declaration of this and that minister, that Govern- ment is most anxious to benefit the people. Well, let those who can only find deductions of confidence from the history of Governments enjoy their opinions, and we will enjoy ours. We believe that our English scheme is., hastening towards, centralization and despotism with all becoming speed. They will meet in the inspector. Just look at the grand link of connexion between the committee of council and the schools which this functionary furnishes. His mis- sion is. not for naught. In the first place see how inspection is secured:- All schools aided with grants towards their erection, enlarge- ment, or towards the supply of school furniture, have, either by a clause in the conveyance, or by an indorsement thereon, or by a memorial under the provisions of the 7 and 8 Vic., cap. 37, se- cured to the committee of council the power of visiting and exa- mining the school by means of their inspectors. Where schools receive aid towards their annual expenses only, the trustees and managers will be required to sign an agreement that so. long as this aId is continued, or the apprenticeship of any pupil-teacher or stipendiary monitor is unexpired, the school shall be open to, the visits of her Majesty's inspectors,"—Minutes of the Com,nuttee of Coimcil, 184.3, vol. I., p. 39-. Such then are the provisions made for inspection. Great sti-ess, we know, will be laid on the last regulation, that a refusal of the grant would do away with the inspection. Very true, but will the grants be so refused ? He who pro- claims this, argument with such flourish of trumpets has something yet to learn of human nature. On every com- mittee, or, at least, on the majority of committees, there will be a few men who will not care much for principle, and who will bear in mind on what side their bread is buttered. The difficulty of managing such men, and of bringing them to unite cordially in favour of any voluntary plan, would prove a knotty affair; and then the voluntary system itself would be crippled and paralyzed by years of servile drudgery un- der the Government scheme. Witness also the tenacious grasp wherewith educated, good, and conscientious men cling to Government money and endowments, even when 1 Ilc Z" their dearest principles are endangered. Contemplate the reluctance with which the free church of Scotland bade adieu to the house of bondage. Consider the manifest un- willingness of such men as the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, and other evangelical clergymen, to throw away their golden chains, and talk no more to us of the ease whereby a grant may be refused, unless you are prepared to assert that the blessings of State education will do away with the inherent waywardness of human nature. And what will be the business of this little innocent of an inspector ? An" important part of these duties will con- sist in visiting, from time to time, schools aided by grants of public money made by the authority of the committee [of council] in order to ascertain that the yrdnthas in each case f been duly applied, and to enable you to furnish accurate in- formation as to the discipline, management, and method of • instruction pursued in your schools." Again, The inspec- tion of schools aided by public grants is in this respect a means of co-operation between the Government and the committees and superintendents of schools, by which in- formation respecting ail remarkable improvements, may be diffused whenever it is sought." In regard to religious matters, it was necessary that the instruction should be strictly religious, until the dusty reso- lution of the 19th August, 18-59, was raked up from oblivion, which provided :—" I lie committee [of council], will require as an indispensable condition that an inspector acting under their authority shall be enabled to visit every school to which any grant shall in future be made. Such inspector will not be authorised to examine into the religious instruction given in the school, but lie will be directed to ask for such infor- mation as to the secular instruction and general regulations of the school, as may enable the committee to make a. report to her Majesty in council, to be laid before both Houses of Parliament." Now, when a hole and corner meeting of thirteen persons met at Manchester last June, and passed six resolutions, em- bodying what Lord John Itussell very properly called re- fi-,lcd objections" to the minutes of council, the noble lords of the council, with almost breathless haste, passed a supple- mentary iiiiiiutc-ttic, famous minute of July 10th, 1847, which reads as follows :—" That it appears to the committee that there are schools to which it idesirable that grants should^ be made, though the managers object on religious grounds, to. make a report concerning- the religious state of such schools as required by the minutes of August and De- cember, 1846." <? That the principles embodied in the resolution of the 19th of August, 1839, be applied to such cases, and that no certificate of the religious knowledge of pupil teachers, and monitors be required from the managers of such schools." But in reality docs this touch the question at all ? By no means. The schools to which the committee will make grants arc not purely secular institutions, but schools in which religion will and must be taught, though some mana- gers will be .excused saying whether, in religious matters. their pupil teachers and monitors are blockheads ot pro- ficients. That is all the boon-who would not be thankful for it ? The lords of the council, however, have been careful t-o, remind their inspectors in August, 1840, that when a sys- tem of inspection, of schools, aided by public grants, is for the first time brought into operation, it is of the utmost con- sequence you should bear in mind that this inspection is. not intended as a means of exercising control, but of affording1 assistance."—Minutes, 8fC., far 1840-41, p. 2. Coupled with this we have a respectable quantity of hypocrisy,, per- fectly well adapted to the first trial of State- education- stating that the inspector is not to- interfere with the in- struction, management, or discipline of the school." What on earth then is he good for? If we believe Government, i he is only a kind of travelling lecturer dispensing the know- ledge which the committee of council constantly accumulates on the subject of education. He is a sort of safety valve for- the educated lords. We have always said that Government education must be- compulsory education. We defy any cunning head to keep' the present system of England stationary for five years., Progress is inevitable; but it is progress towards centraliza- tion and despotism. See how the system works in connexion with the workhouses, under the guidance of that most liberal; and iuidespatia gentleman, Jelinger C. Symons, Esq., the last man in the world, we are sure, to betray his masters.; But a little experience is worth much theory here is the system in practice. Do not believe the- violent" and mo- tive-imputing" Editor of the PRINCIPALITY, nor even trust his very respectable, moderate, and charitable censors; be lieve the plain unvarnished tale" of f-tels about the working of the system. The following missive has put the Ruthin, Board of Guardians at their wits' end. It is datel the 29th. of June:— "PoorLaw Board, Somerset House, 29th June, 1848. Sir,—I am, directed by the Poor Law Board to inform you:, that they have received from the Secretary to the Committees; of Privy Council on Education, a report, made to the Committee by J. C. Symons, one of her Maje.^y's. Inspectors of Schools, on hii inspection of the schools of the Carnarvon Union Work-. house, from which it appears, chat the schoolmistress is quite inca- pable of teaching, and that she is chiefly occupied in scrubbing and scouring in household work and needlework. "-The Board desire to state thar, under the above-mentioned cir- cumstances, the salary of the schoolmistress cannot be paid from, the sum voted by Parliament for the payment of the salaries of schoolmasters and schoolmistresses of union workhouses, "As regards the schoolmaster, the Board desire to inform the Guardians that if at Mr. Symons's next visit to the Carnarvon Union, he should not find the boys' school in a more satisfactory stale, and the schoolmaster should be unable to obtain a certificate- of probation, the payment of the salary of that officer from the. Parliamentary grant will be suspended. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, K -jkington, Secretary., To John Thomas, Esq., "Clerk to the Guardians of the Carnarvon Union." And here is another of a similar nature:— S i R,-I am directed by the Poor Law Board to inform ydis* that they have received from the Secretary to the Committee o £ Privy Council on Education, a report made to the committee by Mr. J. C. Symons, one of her Majesty's inspectors of schools, from which it appears that he has found, on examining Miss Price, as to her qualification for the office of schoolmistress of the Ruthin union workhouse, that she is incompetent to fulfil the- duties, and that he moreover ascertained that Miss Price has in coiiseq.tieiiee of the illness of the matron, been almost wholly occu- pied with the matron's duty for some time past, and that he was ;informed by her that during the last winter she did not keep the girl's school open at all. 11 Alr.. Symons further states that Mr. William Roberts., the schoolmaster, is also incompetent to discharge the duties of that office. -The Board desire to inform the guardians that as Miss Price is employed in the performance of the matron's duties, her salary cannot be paid from the sum granted by Parliament; and as sh-e is found to be incompetent to fulfil the duties of schoolmistress, the Board request that the guardians will call upon her to resign, and take the necessary steps for appointing a properly qualilied person in her stead. As regards Mr. Roberts, the schoolmaster, the Board desire to state that the repayment of his salary from. Parliamentary grant will be withheld, until Mr. Symons's next visit to the. Ruthin Union, when, if Mr. Roberts be unable to obtain a cer- tificate of probation, he will not be permitted to retain hi3 office. (Signed), "Ebiuxgton." Let nobody imagine that we blame Mr. Symons, or im- z, pugn the accuracy of his reports. Not we; they are al- luded to simply in order to prove that State aid must involve State control, and that this State control must end in cen- tralization and despotism. All the elements of mischief lie dormant in the Minutes. They will be called to action iri due time. Countrymen! if yon are desirous to maintain and enjoy the liberty of Britons, keep aloof from Government central- ization and official despotism; and the way to do so is to, abide by Free Education, and abjure all connexion with. State aid;—in a word, be very, rcrg careful how you ap. proach the little innocenti

MEETING OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE NORMAL COLLEGE FOR WALES. Tms meeting was held at six o'clock on. Wednesday even- ing last, at the vestry of Castle-street chapel, Swansea. There were present the Revs. David Rees, and Thomas Ro- berts, Llanelly J. G. Avery, Neath; Edward Davies, Ha- verfol:dwest; William Jones, Castle-street, David Evans, York-place, and William Howell, Swansea; Aaron Cvoss- field, Esq., Swansea; Evan Davies, Esq., M.A., Brecon; W. II. Michael, Esq., Swansea Mr. J.M. "lucklaiid, 'J. Ll. Morgan, Esq., M.D., Haverfordwest; Mr. Evau Jones, PuiNCIPALlTr office, Cardiff; and Mr. Mordecai Jones, Bre- con. The chair was taken by W. H. Michael, Esq., who read a letter from W. W. Phillips, Esq., PontvpooI, ex- pressing his regret for not, being able to be present. An outline of a projected constitution for the institution was then submitted to the meeting, and discussed clause by clause. Among citherthingsit was determined that candi- dates. from all religious ds nominations be admissible oil proper recommendations. Several other points were dis- cussed, but as the whole question will be laid before a general meeting of the subscribers, we do not think it ne- cessary to enter into particulars at present. At .half-past seven the meeting was adjourned till eight o'clock vester- day morning. We were much gratified by the exhibition of the design furnished to the executive committee of the proposed build- ing. They will be publicly exhibited for the next fortnight, when the committee will proceed to make their selection. There are in all 40 designs, furnished by 33 different archi- tects. The lowest estimate is t-,3,000, and the highest be- tween £ 11,000 and £ 12,000. We think upon the whole that the contest will be between three designs, whose estimates range between £ 3,400 and £ 4,300.

THE. Bumsil ASSOCIATION. TRi, eighteenth annual meeting of this distinguished body assembled at Swansea OIl Wednesday last. On our arrival in. the town on Tuesday evening,, we found that the local com- mittee had been most indefatigable in their exertions, and that the most excellent arrangements had been made in every de- partment. The following is a list of some of the arrivals up to Wednes- day evening :—Dr. Slostroume; llerr Pluelier, of Bonn Capt. Sir E. Belcher, R. N. Dr. Baylis, London Mr. G. Warner, Oxford; Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., H. P., and family; the -Dean of Hereford Edward Dalton, Esq., D.C.L.; W. J. Prod-, T, sham, Esq., 1T.RS.; Glosop, Esq. C. O'Donovan, Esq., London \V. E. Cowell, Esq.; E. 11. Smith, Esq.; Robert Hunt, Esq. B. S. Jones, Esq. Dr. L. Playfair; W-m. Sykëll Ward; Colonel Sykes; Colonel Listro Captain Ilostride Monsieur Clody; Professor Forbey; Dr. Latham and Lady; Professor llomeo. Elton, D. D., of Cincinnati; America; Dr. Pyc Smith, F.R.S.; Dr. George Wood, Philadelphia; Joseph Price, Esq., Neath Abbey; —Redwood, Esq., Neath; Win. Lascelles, Esq., F.R.A.S.; Dr. W. B. Carpenter; Itev, sftilll. Davies; Col. R. A. Dun.dass; Sir II. Dp la lieelre W.E. Dawson, Esq., London; Rev. T. Exley, M. A., Bristol tliu Dean of Ely; R. Fowler, M.D.; G. B. Greenough, F.R.S. J. Glynn, F.R.S., London; W. Hill, P.A.S.; lC Hopkin, C.E., London Capt. Ibbetson, R.N.; Rev. Charles Iungsloy, Chelsea John Lee, F.R.S.; Edward Lankester, M.D., F.R.S.;

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MONDAY, Ana. 7. THE REGIUM DONUM. Mr. C. Lushington presented a peiition from the Baptist Union against the lier/ium Donum, Mr Duncan-presented petitions from Dundee and other places against the'Marriages (Scotland) Bill, and the Registering Births, &c. (Scotland) Bill. Lord Ashley gave notice that he would, next session* move an address to the Crown, praying her Majesty to take imme- I ti diate steps for the sudivision, quoad sacra, as soon as practica- ble, of all parishes in England and Wales the population of which exceeded 4,00*0 souls. PUBLIC HEALTH BILL. On the motion of Lord Morpeth, the House then resolved itself, into Committee of the whole House to consider the Lords' amendments in the Public Health Bill Mr. Bernal in the chiir. After much discussion the amendments were agreed to, with some slight alterations the House resumed; the bill, with the amendments, was reported to the House, which, on the motion of Lord Morpeth, agreed to the Report. In the course of the discussion Lord Morpeth read extracts from the despatches of our Consuls in various foreign ports, containing descriptions of the ravages made by the cholera, a id showing the steady approaches which it was making to t'tis ccuitrv. He was, threfore, most anxious that the Com- mittee should assent to the various precautions which the House of Lords had recommended as best calculated to arrest the progress of that terrible disease. SUPPLY.—TAXATION. 0:1 the question that the House do resolve itself into a Com- mittee of Supply, t Mr. Ewart renewed his rniual motion for the substitution of direct for indirect taxation, and, after advocating the expedi- ency of reducing our duties on all articles of general consump- tion, proposed a resolution to this effcct-" That it is expedient that there should be a revision of our present taxation, especi- ally with a view to extend the commerce of the country and to increase the employments and comforts of the people- A. discussion ensued, in which the Chancellor of the Ex- chequcr, Mr. Hume, Dr. Bowring, and Mr. Cobien took part, fial ultimately, on the representations of the latter gentlemen, urging a postponement on account of the lateness of the session, Mr. Ewart withdrew his motion. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, after which the House adjourned.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is our invariable rule not to insert any comnuraication without possessing in confidence the realllame of the writer.. 11 T. J. W." The subnet-matter of your long letter is become tiir'te insipid. Mr. Symons and the Reports, have had a tolerably share- of our attention ;-aiul we think our readers are willing to forego further disscussion of their merits. S.-veral communications of unavoidably crowded out, owing to the lengthy report of the Meeting of the British Asso- u ttioa.

Poor-law Union Charges Bill. The remaining clauses were, after some discussion, agreed to. The conversation related chiefly to the of vagrancy, which Mr. Buller intimated his intention to put down. He ventured even to suggest, that the act of applying for relief at the workhouse might itiself be made an act of vagrancy. But Surely to make this an offence Bgainst law would be mdnstroUs. Vagrancy is iiot very easily defined. A man in search fdr Wdrk triay be exposed to be dealt with as a vagrant, The discussion was marked by an entire absence of any expression ot humane feeling or consider- ation for the unempldyed or distressed poor. Several other bills were forwarded without remark. In the afternoon sitting, the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill was- further considered in committee, and the remaining clauses were, after a great deal of discussion, got through, The schedule was then entered upon, and gave rise to further de- bate. At length the Chairman was allowed to report progress. Mr. Hobhouse expressed his surprise at the mode in which this bill of pains and penalties was received by the Liberal gentlemen around him, who, having themselves been returned bv a system of corruption (hear, hear), now vented their indignation upon a borough not more corrupt than those they represented.—-We fear nobody gives the House credit for being quite in earnest in dealing with the matter. A number of bills were afterwards forwarded, and, among them, the Farmers' Estate Society (Ireland) Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. Labouchere obtained leave to bring in two bills to prohi- bit tl-i- importation of infected sheep and cattle, and to prevent the spread of contagious disease among sheep and cattle, The House adjourned at two o'clock.