NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Commons. It originated with an exposition by Lord ASHLEY, of one impediment to the too free use of the Army as an engine of the actual state of the people, masterly in its plain and matter-of- political coercion when the -Minister and the Captain are one. Sir fact impressiveness. The facts are of a class which have been ROBERT PEEL'sjustification amounts to this : the case is not utterly familiar to the observation of daily life, and which have been made without precedent ; it is supported by analogy, since Lords of the known to the reading public by means of authentic reports; yet, Admiralty and Masters-General of the Ordnance have sat in the grouped tOgetherin Lord ASHLEY'S exposition, the effect is appal- Cabinet ; and it was convenient to give the chief military post to ling. On examining his data, this will be found to be, without the Duke of WELLINGTON without losing his civil services. The exaggeration, the state of the matter. Thousands of children are answer in fact amounts to nothing. The objection taken by Lord born yearly amid poverty and vice : to many of them there is no Joust RUSSELL was of au abstract and perhaps a shadowy kind ; access to inform them of their own condition ; the bulk are never but it is strengthened rather than otherwise by the apologist's taught ; and with those who have some kind of tuition, or what is evasion of it. The Duke's own objection to the practice stands in intended for such, it is so utterly worthless that in very many cases full force against himself. What, however, became of the inquiry ?
it must go for nothing: the circumstances of parents are such— When Sir ROBERT PEEL held his peace, so did Lord JOHN : was
cut and dry ' • a beginning—a very minute beginning—of popular The most notable conflict of the session was the debate on Mr. education. One measure consists in the establishment of district ROEBUCK'S motion for inquiry into the Afghan war. His case was schools in towns, each to serve for an area of fifteen miles diameter, laboriously studied and distinctly made out. He expounded the for the education of pauper children, or those whose parents are history of the affairs which gave rise to the war, in their geography willing to send them. The other measure is the erection of schools and their events; rendered intelligible the known facts and broader in the manufacturing districts, at which all children employed in inferences respecting Russian tampering with Persia and its claims on factories must atteod, or they will not be allowed to work ; and at Westernmost India; showed how, to repulse Russia, Lord AUCKLAND the same time the length of working-hours for children is cur- crushed his willing ally and an able warder on the rude frontier, Dose tailed. With a lay administration an ingenious attempt is COM- MAHOMED, and put up the puppet SUJAH, merely to exasperate and bitted to conciliate the Church by securing to her the super- enfeeble Afghanistan ; and proved that the late Ministers, appa- vision of the schools, and Dissenters by securing to them perfect rently to hide the testimony of their having acted against sound freedom. It will be observed, however, that the joint measure is counsel explicitly given, so garbled despatches that the altered ver- limited to the education of pauper children or the like, in urban sion in one case raised the very opposite idea of the original— districts, and of children in particular employments, not including which is "falsehood" to all intents and purposes. Lord Joss Roman Cattolics in those employments. As a means of meeting RUSSELL'S defence of the Whig Foreign Office and Board of Con- the universal evil, therefore, it is obviously inadequate. It has also trol consisted mainly of three ingredients,—imputation of bad ani- the demerit of inverting the natural procedure: it provides that mus in Mr. ROEBUCK ; representations that appearances made Lord children shall be taught, but does not provide schoolmasters corn- AUCKLAND believe the war to be necessary, while India was rest- petent to teach. Now the numbers who already attend schools of less in consequence of the rumours; and assertions that the show various designations, and learn absolutely nothing after years of of vigour had tranquillized India, and had therefore answered its " teaching," prove that it is of very little use to multiply the num- purpose. Sir ROBERT PEEL came to the rescue ; and, satisfying bee of scholars unless they can be effectually taught. There is no his conscience with holding up his old protest against the virtue in entering a building at stated intervals because it is called war, he opposed the motion, because it tended to induce a school. This point was well insisted on by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, similar motions ; and if Select Committees are appointed to inves- But we must go deeper before much can be done : a far more effi- tigate every case of foreign dispute, the function of the Executive
cient staff' of even than that which haunts Lord is transferred to the Representative branch. So the fear of an Jona RosseLL's dreams, woud do little towards the thing wanted— extravagant and impracticable encroachment on the part of the teaching the people—without a proper system of tuition. That Third Estate is to prevent the people through their representatives should be matter of earnest attention. The debate was remark- from authentically learning which is right about the Afghan war, able for harmony of sentiment : all seemed struck with a convic- PEEL or RUSSELL; both conspiring to stifle the inquiry ! The tion that there is a dangerous social malady to be dealt with, generosity of the quondam opponents of the war is extraordinary ; After the many nights' profitless discussion on the state of the only less so than the readiness with which their old antagonists country, it seems to be unanimously resolved that " something accept the charity. Rumour, as usual, went before with reasons must be done" for the people; and Sir JAMES GRAHAM has a for the stretch of magnanimity, and alleged a compact to spare
The discussion of the Army Eatimates occasioned a proposition- by Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD, to postpone them until the whole of the expenditure and income had been considered, with a view to equalizing the national resources and burdens. In terms, there is an appearance of plausibility about it ; but it is one which all Ministries, and indeed all people but closet men, see to be impracticable— stopping the wheels of Government. Reductions, proposed at proper times, can be made without arresting the entire.. machine at once. And in this case reductions have actually b made, and more are coming ; so that there was no particular cll\ for the special motion. Of course it came to nothing.
business, (as payment of wages,) and the untaught obedience to The old question of "privilege" has been revived by the hide- their own instincts—that instead of being examplewto their child- fatigable attorney Howartn,"liat*horn SrocanaLE was the cuculus ren, they become their tutors in vice ; and so the circle goes round. indicator, and who finds the House of Commons a goodly store of Children are precocious in depravity ; squalid indulgence is the damages-honey, to be got at without much difficulty in avoiding
he-all and end-all of maturity - the vigour of manhood is sapped, the sting. He has again roused the hive by attacking its servants the delicacy of woman is violated ; and the population of great part on some new plea of technical injury. Government have learned of our large towns, and it is to be feared of the country districts, discretion from the fate of their predecessors' boldness; and, consists of hordes whose only distinction from the savage is a more although they were high privilege men in Opposition, they seem recondite knowledge of depravity and the more abject filth of in-door now content to submit to the Law Courts. Sir THOMAS WILDS life shut from the purifying elements. Lord ASHLEY proposed no plan earned too many laurels in the former battle not to be more obsti- for teaching those unhappy races to know their foul disfigurement ; nate ; and his speech evinces neither lack of resources nor of' but threw the task on Parliament and the Crown, by moving an energy. But the subject is stale, and nothing so damps belligerent address for consideration of the subject. Somewhat unexpectedly, ardour as tedium; so WILDS was heard, without much prospect of Sir JAMES GRAHAM responds with announcement of two measures, rousing his hearers to action.
cut and dry ' • a beginning—a very minute beginning—of popular The most notable conflict of the session was the debate on Mr. education. One measure consists in the establishment of district ROEBUCK'S motion for inquiry into the Afghan war. His case was schools in towns, each to serve for an area of fifteen miles diameter, laboriously studied and distinctly made out. He expounded the for the education of pauper children, or those whose parents are history of the affairs which gave rise to the war, in their geography willing to send them. The other measure is the erection of schools and their events; rendered intelligible the known facts and broader in the manufacturing districts, at which all children employed in inferences respecting Russian tampering with Persia and its claims on factories must atteod, or they will not be allowed to work ; and at Westernmost India; showed how, to repulse Russia, Lord AUCKLAND the same time the length of working-hours for children is cur- crushed his willing ally and an able warder on the rude frontier, Dose tailed. With a lay administration an ingenious attempt is COM- MAHOMED, and put up the puppet SUJAH, merely to exasperate and bitted to conciliate the Church by securing to her the super- enfeeble Afghanistan ; and proved that the late Ministers, appa- vision of the schools, and Dissenters by securing to them perfect rently to hide the testimony of their having acted against sound freedom. It will be observed, however, that the joint measure is counsel explicitly given, so garbled despatches that the altered ver- limited to the education of pauper children or the like, in urban sion in one case raised the very opposite idea of the original— districts, and of children in particular employments, not including which is "falsehood" to all intents and purposes. Lord Joss Roman Cattolics in those employments. As a means of meeting RUSSELL'S defence of the Whig Foreign Office and Board of Con- the universal evil, therefore, it is obviously inadequate. It has also trol consisted mainly of three ingredients,—imputation of bad ani- the demerit of inverting the natural procedure: it provides that mus in Mr. ROEBUCK ; representations that appearances made Lord children shall be taught, but does not provide schoolmasters corn- AUCKLAND believe the war to be necessary, while India was rest- petent to teach. Now the numbers who already attend schools of less in consequence of the rumours; and assertions that the show various designations, and learn absolutely nothing after years of of vigour had tranquillized India, and had therefore answered its " teaching," prove that it is of very little use to multiply the num- purpose. Sir ROBERT PEEL came to the rescue ; and, satisfying bee of scholars unless they can be effectually taught. There is no his conscience with holding up his old protest against the virtue in entering a building at stated intervals because it is called war, he opposed the motion, because it tended to induce a school. This point was well insisted on by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, similar motions ; and if Select Committees are appointed to inves- But we must go deeper before much can be done : a far more effi- tigate every case of foreign dispute, the function of the Executive
cient staff' of even than that which haunts Lord is transferred to the Representative branch. So the fear of an Jona RosseLL's dreams, woud do little towards the thing wanted— extravagant and impracticable encroachment on the part of the teaching the people—without a proper system of tuition. That Third Estate is to prevent the people through their representatives should be matter of earnest attention. The debate was remark- from authentically learning which is right about the Afghan war, able for harmony of sentiment : all seemed struck with a convic- PEEL or RUSSELL; both conspiring to stifle the inquiry ! The tion that there is a dangerous social malady to be dealt with, generosity of the quondam opponents of the war is extraordinary ; After the many nights' profitless discussion on the state of the only less so than the readiness with which their old antagonists country, it seems to be unanimously resolved that " something accept the charity. Rumour, as usual, went before with reasons must be done" for the people; and Sir JAMES GRAHAM has a for the stretch of magnanimity, and alleged a compact to spare
to Lord AUCKLAND and his associates. The official Division-list gives colour to the story : the majority which voted against Mr. ROEBUCK consists of the main body of adherents to either leader ; and so close was the alliance, that the Tellers were those who usually act for the two parties—Sir THOMAS FREMANTLE the Con- servative, and Mr. TUFNELL the Whig. The minority was curi- ously composed : of the 75, 62 are Conservatives—the ardent spirits, who are less bound to their leader for the time being than to the supposed interests of the party itself; the small remainder being independent Liberal Members and those whom Lord PAL- MERSTON sneers at as "peace-at-any-price men."
The Corporation of London has been roused from the slumber of security which it has enjoyed since it vanquished the Whigs in the wane of their power : Lord BROUGHAM has once more held it up to public view as a thing to be reformed, with a thorough ex- posure of its evils as a preserve of antiquated abuses. The pro- minent charges are—defective municipal representation, extrava- gant expenditure, misgovernment, vexatious monopolies, and mal- administration of justice. The Whigs set their mark upon this Corporation for reform with the other Municipalities of the country ; but they first postponed it, on account of the difficulty of the task, and then relinquished the enterprise, because they were too weak to carry their measures, and could not face the anger of the City with its four Members. The present Government are in no such predicament ; and Lord BROUGHAM called on them to redeem the pledge of Parliament. Whether or not they mean to do any thing, cannot be inferred from Lord LYNDHURST'S careless desire to put off the question, or the Duke of WELLINGTON'S wish to deliberate ; but the small-talk about it, which followed Lord BROUGHAM'S elaborate speech, promises little for the Conservatives in the way of Municipal Reform. In the mean time, the Corporation was un- defended : it is virtually condemned, though the workmen may not yet be actually set to pull down the falling structure.
Previous page
