POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY NIGHT.

A measure which may be said to form an epoch in the history of edu- cation, was introduced by Ministers to the House of Commons last night- constituting an express recognition by those who represent the quondam Tory party of England, that it is wise and necessary to establish a system of secular education apart from religious training or test. The Whigs aseerted that policy he the establishment of the London University: it is now adopted and extended in a still more emphatic manner by the Conserva- tives in the establishment of a system of Secular Colleges for Ireland.

Alter the transaction of some minor business, curtailed by the impatience of the House to hear the scheme, Sir JAMES Gmeretet rose, and moved for leave to bring in " a bill to enable her Majesty to endow new Colleges for the advancement of learning in Ireland "; making an explanatory state- ment.

He began by expressing his painful consciousness both of the difficulty and

importance of the subject-the difficulty arising from religious differences. It is true, that in Ireland there is not the same variety of creeds as in England : but there is one striking anomaly-the religion of the great majority of the people has for centuries been treated by the State as a hostile religion. That evil has abated-the penal laws are removed or in process of removal; but traces of the had disposition remain, and they are in nothing more perceptible or more noxious than where they interfere with the matter of education. The difficulty has been the subject of repeated inquiries. [To these Sir James successively ad- verted, but we confine our summary to the salient points of his review.] In 1806, a Commission was appointed; and in 1812, that Commission presented a re- port, signed by the Protestant Primate of that day, ley the Archbishop of Cashel, the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr. Elrington, and Mr. Leslie Foster: that report contains this passage-" We conceive it to be of essential importance to any new establish- ment for the education of the lower classes in Ireland, and we venture to express our unanimous opinion, that no such plan, however wisely and unexceptionably con- trived in other respects, can be carried into effectual execution in this country, unless it be explicitly avowed and clearly understood as its leading principle, that no attempt shall be made to influence or disturb the peculiar religious tenets of any sect or description of Christians." That passage contains the germ of the sound principle on which education in Ireland, not only for the lower classes but for all, must be dealt with, on which it has latterly been treated, and on which the proposition he had to make was based.

Several attempts have been made in Ireland to educate on exclusive and pro-

selytizing principles; the most remarkable instances of which are, "the Incor- porated Society for promoting English Protestant Schools in Ireland," and "the Association for discountenancing Vice in Ireland." The School Society had a large annual grant, which in 1825, the last year, was 21,0001.: it then had 32 schools, and only 2,300 pupils. The other Association had an annual grant, which in 1824 was 7,0001.: it then had 226 schools, and 12,769 pupils; of whom 7,803 were Protestants, and 4,804 Roman Catholics. In 1831 was established the Na- tional System of Education in Ireland, on the principle enunciated in the report of 1812: by 1839, its schools numbered 1,581, its pupils 205,000; in 1844, its schools had inceeased to 3,153, its pupils to 395,000; and the pupils now exceed 400,000 in number. Compare that advance with the failure of the exclusive system. Sir James here made an announcement touching the National system of education:. "Owing to the liberality of the grant, I have great satisfaction in stating to the House, that the National Board have divided their school districts into thirty-two, covering the whole surface of Ireland; and resolved, in each of these thirty-two dis- tricts to establish a model-school, for the purpose of extending the benefit, on the same principle of this great boon of national education, to the shopkeeping class and those above the lowest."

It is not only in Ireland that experience is to be had. In England, a long struggle to open the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge led to the establish- ment of the London Un'versity; in which, University College, without religious teats, and King's College, founded on principles of the Established Church, work in perfect harmony and with great success. London University has an expansive power--any other' seminary ot college in the United Kingdom may be attached to It; and it had been his duty to gave consent to the connexion of the Roman Ca- tholic College in Carlow with the University of London. In the Universities of Scotland, too, where there has been much religious controversy, divine worship and theological lectures are provided; but attendance at either is not compulsory and in Edinburgh University no religious tests are enforced. Whether you look to the Metropolitan University of England or of Scotland, religious tests, at this moment, are not exacted from either professors or students. He now gave a sketch of the measure which he had to propose ; confessing that

it might be subject to some future modification in the details. He should recom- mend to the House the establishment of three provincial institutions for education in Ireland, all founded upon the same principle as the Metropolitan Colleges in England and Scotland. -He proposed, that Cork should be the site of the College for the South, Galway or Limerick for the West, and Derry or Belfaeft-inoit pro hably Belfast-for the North. He could not pledge himself for the exact amentit of the expense which would be necessary to carry this proposal into execution; but he conceived that 30,0001. would be wanted for the erection of each of the three collegiate buildings which the Government proposed to make and he would therefore mention 100,0001. as a sum which would be amply sufficient for that purpose. For the expense of the officers of these institutions, and of the prizes to be established for the encouragement of learning, Government recommended that a sum of 18,0001. should be supplied annually ; in other words, 6,090/. for each of them. In each College there would be a principal, with a salary of 1,0001. a year, and ten or twelve professors, with salaries of 3001. a year each. At Belfast and at Cork a medical school would be attached to each College, and lectures would be there given in pharmacy, surgery, and chemistry,. It was the intention of Go- vernment to propose that in all the three Colleges the professors should be nomi- nated by the Crown, and that the Crown should have the power to remove them for good cause. The principal would reside within the walls of the College; but it was not intended to provide within them residences either for the professors or the students. The scheme of instruction would be by lecture, and by daily examination of the pupils, of a stringent and effi- cient kind. Consistently with the principle of the measure which he had already described, there would be no faculty of theology in these institutions; and therefore he did not intend to propose the establishment of any pro- fessorships of divinity. Religion would not, however, be neglected in these institutions; on the contrary, every facility would be given for the voluntary endowment of theological professorships, and rooms for lectures would be allowed: but the attendance at the lecteres of thee professors would not be compulsory; for the fundamental principle on which he asked the House to sanc- tion this bill was' the avoidance of all interference, positive or negative, in all matters affecting the freedom of conscience. There is a peculiarity in respect of Belfast: in that city there is already an academical institution, which receives an annual grant of 2,1001.; four of its professors being divinity professors, appointed by the General Assembly of Ulster: he would not deprive the Assembly of that advantage, but would continue the four professorships. He had reaeoe to. believe that if this bill should be sanctioned by the House, the Academical Institution would transfer its buildings and its library on easy terms to the new College at Belfast.

Then came an ulterior question. Should these three Colleges be incorporated in one central University? He confessed that he thought they should be so. Again, where should that University be?—Undoubtedly 10 Dublin. That sug- gests another difficulty: in Dublin is-Trinity College, founded by Queen Elizabeth fig Protestant purposes—the education of clergymen of the Church of Eifolanat But Dublin Umversity is not quite exclusive: by the Relief Act of 1793,n Catholic students were admitted to the studies and honours of that University. Still, the emoluments, the professorships, and studentships, were reserved to mem- bers of the Church of England; and Mr. O'Connell had given evidence that it would not be proper to interfere with those Protestant studentships. And, apart from other considerations, any attempt to force the Roman Catholics or Dissenters upon the fellowships and scholarships of Trinity College would render such a re- vision of charters necessary, and would give such offence to Protestant feeling throughout the empire, that he had no hesitation in stating that to such a propo- sition Government would not give the slightest sanction. However, although he had thought it. right in candour to allude to these difficulties, the settlement of them would be open to the future consideration of Parliament; for the bill did no More than enable the Crown to found the three new Colleges.

Sir James passed an emphatic enlogium on the exertions of Mr. Wyse in this matter, and cited his anthonty for founding provincial colleges in Ireland. He concluded by recommending the measure to the House as conducive of concord, order, peace, and virtue, in Ireland. " I have been taught by former failures with respect to this subject. I am aware of my inability as an advocate to plead this cause: but I am deeply impressed with its importance, and the soundness of the principle I am now propounding to you; and I am very confident of the good that will result from it. I therefore implore your cooperation and general support, without reference to the differences upon religious matters which may exist in Ireland, and without regard to the political differences that may exist here."

A long and animated debate followed; but we can only glance at its general features. Mr. Wirss, the first to speak after Sir James Graham, cordially welcomed the measure; though he pointed out alterations in it which he should desire—such as the establishment of theological chairs in the new Colleges in connexionwith the several .religious denominations, and some provision for giving the teachers ri kind of parental control over Youths absent from their families. He recognized the difficulties respecting Dublin University. He hailed the general proposition with satisfaction ; and heartily rejoiced at the meat approach of the time in which Ireland might hope to be. regenerated by improved intelligence and morality rather than by force and violence. This was the general tone of the Liberal Irish" Members several of whom spoke; including Mr. E. B. ROCHE, who, "as a Repealer, bailed this measure as a great boon tO the people of Ireland." Mr. SHEIL formed some exception to the rule: for he insisted more strongly on the necessity of removing from the new institutions the reproach that no. religious instruction should be given in.thein; on the ex- pediency of compelling the students to attend divine worship; and, with warmth, on the neeessity of throwing open Dublin University, lest, with its wealth and social importance, it should be paramount over the rest. Lord PALXER8TON promised for the measure in its progress the most fair and earnest support of the Whigs.

Mr. &Law and the Irish Conservative Members offered no opposition to the motion; acquiescing rather in sullen reluctance than threatening re- sistance.

The strongest dissent came from Sir RonEex INGLIS; who pronounced the measure to be, not of local, but of tusiversal importance. It was the first instance in the history of Great Britain in which a national endowment for education without any provision for religious institutions had been made by it as a State. Such instruction as Sir James Graham proposed to esta- blish ought to be erected not only for the enlightenment of man, but also fOr the glory of God. A more gigantic scheme of godless education had never been proposed in any country than that which was now under con- sideration. Mr. Perla-rim and Mr. ALEXANDER. HOPE more faintly echoed these sentiments.

Sir Romer PEEL SSW in Mr. Sheirs speech that his own difficulty still lay in Ireland: and, in a very calm, but earnest and effective manner, he proceeded to contrast the conflicting demands which arose on all sides; Sir Robert Inglis requiring Protestant religion to be taught, which would Merely render the scheme nugatory; others requiring Roman Catholic re- ligion to be taught, and so provoking more bitter opposition. He reminded Sir Robert Inglis, that in supporting the existing Belfast Institution, the honourable Baronet was supporting a "godless institution"; for there the professors have long given up the attempt to enforce attendance on theo- logical lectures or religious worship. In explanation, Mr. SEED. disclaimed any intention not to aid and support the measure.

Leave was given to bring in. the bill; and it was read a first time.

Mr. TnorsAs DIINC011BE drew attention to a petition from Eliza Price, a married woman; who, being advanced in pregnancy, was taken up for assault under a warrant by Mr. Briscoe, a Worcestershire Magistrate, treated in a very arbitrary manner, and chained all night to a post. Sir JAMES GRAI1AM said that the main statements were true, and the case demanded further inquiry; which it should have.

At half-past twelve o'clock, the House adjourned, till Thursday the 15th.