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    threatened to expel the honest settlers , whom they represented as * ' Puritans . " A Vagrancy Act had been passed by the Australian Legislature for the protection of the settlers against the felonry of Van Diemen ' s Land , but that act had been vetoed by the governor , to the disgust of the honest inhabitants , who have formed an anti-transportation league , for the purpose of diverting the stream of -vice and crime which threatened to overwhelm them and their offspring . A petition had been agreed to in one part of the colony , signed by 35 , 000 persons , including the three bishops and all the clergy ,

    praying that their land might no longer be polluted by the convicts of this country . At Sidney , also , a petition , with 50 , 000 signatures appended , had been got up , and at Melbourne similar exertions had been made to remedy the present degrading system . Without saying anything as to the system of punishing criminals by transportation , he earnestly called upon the Government to listen to the prayers of the settlers of Van Diemen ' s Land . He concluded by moving that an humble address be presented to her Majesty , praying for the discontinuance of transportation to Van Diemen ' s Land . Sir George Grey

    could not deny that there was a general desire amongst the colonists for the abolition of transportation , but he thought the statements on that head had been greatly exaggerated . He admitted that Earl Grey had changed his opinion on the transportation question , owing to the difficulty he found in carrying out the original intentions of Government , but he had also found that public opinion in Van Diemen ' s Land had undergone some alterations on the subject . He admitted , however , that the colony had reason to complain , and that it was the duty of the Government to attend to those complaints , and to endeavour to relieve them from the

    aggravated pressure of convicts . But he thought that it was justice to the colony to show that its condition was not so bad as had been represented . The evils at present existing in Van Diemen ' s Land did not arise from sending out there a small number of improved convicts under the present system , but were the results of the too long continuance of the old system . Though the views of the Government as to the dispersion of convicts as -widely as possible have been thwarted by the unwillingness of the colonists to receive convicts in any stage of their sentence , with a view to that dispersion the Government were not without a means of meeting the difficulty . He thought there were means in view by which they might

    dispose of their convicts in a way to meet the wishes of the colonies . With regard to the motion before the House , he hoped the House would not by its hasty adoption impose on the Government greater difficulty and embarrassment than they had already to encounter in carrying out the sentence of transportation , or attempt , by removing one evil , to create another . He hoped they would be satisfied with the desire of the Government to act justly and impartially towards the colony , and he therefore trusted they would reject the motion . Mr . Anstey having risen to support the motion , it was suddenly found I that there was not a House , there being only thirtythree members present , who instantly adjourned .

    The chief subject of debate in the House of Commons on Thursday night was Secular Education . Mr . Fox moved : — " That it is expedient to promote the education of the people in England and Wales by the establishment of free schools for secular instruction , to be supported by local rates , and managed by committees elected specially for that purpose by the ratepayers . " He asked for education not as a measure of compassion , but as an act of justice . The system of voluntary contributions wus in a state of demonstrated inefficiency . The evidence furnished by the inspectors of schools amply proved his case . That evidence showed that educationcould not be

    sustained unless recourse was had to an educational rate . The mode in which the present system was carried on wus another cause of inefficiency . There was a partiality inherent in it , which obstiucted public cooperation . The church schools received a great part of the grants ; the inspectors , all but three , were members of the Established Church ; and the poor ratepayers found themselves compelled to pay for a bc'tter education for pauper children than they could afford to give to their own . Besides the burden of the expense fell upon the clergymen ; ownerH and occupiers of land contributing little or nothing towurds parish schools : —

    The present system afforded a stern denial to every proposition lor mural education , but gave tmpport to every kind of religious teaching . It seemed na though thsre was something evil in ' morality ' which required to be co unteracted by even bud theology ( hear , hear ); that hiutory was not to be ntudied unlenB it wiih accompanied by heresy , and that decimal fractions were fatal to the uoul if they were not mingled with thut which some called idolatry . Ono of the hcKmoI eatexhiBiim «| ioke of the PuritaiiH aH men who murdered their Soverei gn and wtarved the clergy . Wctv . dissenters to pay for such thi . u / a as that ? The renult of the whole B > Hti-m wan , that every man hud to pay for something he « xt not believe , mid in hit * turn became- a cunne of tnxu-«» . m to otherH for sonu > lihi » lie believed and they did not believe . ( Hear , lie

    Ihe resolution he proposed asserted the necessity of local taxation and local administration for purposes of education . He wished to separate secular from religious teaching ; he did not wish to annihilate the latter . It was impossible that secular and religious instruction could alone , and the same time , flow from the mind of the teacher to the mind of the pupil . What affinity was there between the Athanasian creed and the multiplication table ? The resolution was opposed by Sir George Grey and Sir W . P . Wood , on the ground that , though education might be desirable , it would be wrong and

    impossible to separate secular from religious education without destroying the latter . Sir George Grey held that the country had expressed its clear opinion that education should be based upon religion ; and Sir W . Page Wood declared that the real effect of the proposed plan would be tyrannically to sweep away all existing religious schools supported by voluntary contributions . The noticeable thing being , on the Government side , that they took up with the Clerical Manchester Plan , eulogized it , and wished it success . Sir G . Grey even hoped that they would bring in their bill next session .

    In support of the resolution , Mr . C . Adderley and Mr . Cobden occupied the chief places . Mr . Adderley pointed out with great effect that the pre-I sent system was deficient in one great feature , for it failed to point out to the people how they might earn their own livelihood . Mr . Cobden dealt broadly with the whole question . They did not want to destroy religion and nurture irreligion . It is worth , remarking that Mr . Cobden declared he would not oppose the reading of the Bible , without note or comment , where desired . Sir Robert Inglis declared that knowledge by itself was an unmixed evil . Mr . Sidney Herbert marked the state of opinion in the majority , when he said there was a decided feeling expressed in the country that " education must he promoted , and that in some shape or other it must be secular , but likewise religious . " On a division there

    were—For Mr . Fox ' s resolutions 41 Against 139 Majority 98 In the House of Lords the Earl of Carlisle moved that the Capitular Estates Bill be read a second time and referred to a Select Committee . This is a bill for the better management of Church property . The Bishop of London and Lord Stanley both , admit the necessity for inquiry , but the bishops object to the bill itself . The ministerial proposition was affirmed by 46 to 28 .

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    Capital Punishment . —The resolution moved by Mr . Ewart , " That it is expedient that the mitigations which have been made in the laws inflicting capital punishment in England be extended to Scotland , and , as far as possible , to the colonial possessions of this country , " was , after a short discussion , withdrawn , on the assurance of Sir George Grey that he was in communication with the Lord Advocate of Scotland on the subject . Hop Duties . —The motion of Mr . Hodges for leave to bring in a bill to reduce the hop duty to Id . per pound wus negatived by 88 to 27 .

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    THE EXPOSITION DINNER AT RICHMOND . Internationa ! Dinners , as we intimated last week will be celebrated in the annuls of 1851 . The Chairmen of the Metropolitan Local Committees entertained the foreign Commissioners at the Castle , Richmond , on Tuesday . Five o ' clock was appointed for meeting , and when the gueats arrived , the wholcpopulatiouot' the to wn turned out to receive them . Triumphal arches spanned the htreets , and flags of all nations fluttered with surprising prolusion from balcony and hou . se-top . Inscriptions conveying a hearty welcome were displayed on every side , and repeated cheers broke forth from the crowd when the

    strangers made their appearance . Arrived in the grounds of the hotel , the guests beheld a series of rowing matches take place on the river . During this interval , also , Mr . Chapman presented to Lord AbIiburton , the chairman of the day , a congratulatory address , which his Lordship acknowledged in suitable terms . Shortly alter six o'clock the company assembled in the large und handsome ballot ' the hotel . After dinner the speechifying business commenced with the customary toasts . In proposing the health of " Prince Albert , and all who are near and dear to him , " Lord ilahburtnu eulogized the Prince as the patron and author of the Exposition : —

    " Prince Albert found the llounrs of Parliament , indifferent—ready to listen to objeciioiiH , however frivolouH—he found the leadern of purlieu , leaders of public opinion , shrink from the responsibility of defending it ., lie found the press hostile , the Government paralyzed by the thought that if it failed they would have thousands to pay , if it muieeeded they would have millioiiN to keep in order , lie found the public bewildered ; it knew not what , to do , what , to winb , what to expect . Who then was for it ? No one Have the Prince and the small knot of enterprising tnvn ( loud cheers )—he had annotated with hiuiNeir , and partially umpired with his eiUhuniaHiu . Ihe fact was , we . were not . prepared for it . We talked , indeed , of process ; we enjoyed , like children , a whisk to l ' . xclcr in four hoiun like children we delighted to Hee Nusniyill's ha mmer * . squeeze ; an orange or oiunh an anvil . Wo admired the physical reuuUn of progremt , but I

    the effect of our discoveries on the social and political relations of mankind we were all blind to . We were like full-fledged birds sitting on the brink of the nest , conscious of fresh powers , but ignorant of the mighty range which their development had brought within our scope . { Cheers . ) But it was not so with Prince Albert ; he felt that God had not given us the genius of discovery , had not intrusted us with dominion over the powers of nature that it should all end in cheapness . He felt that nations might be brought together with their works , and that , through this Industrial Congress , some advance might be made towards that unity of mankind , that universal peace , which has been the dream of philanthropic men . from Sully to Elihu Burritt . But those good men mistook their means of action , and brought ridicule on their

    sacred mission . They thought that the lust for war might be controlled by the fear of war ; that a majority would always be on the side of peace . But a sounder philosophy has taught us that prevention is better than punishment—( cheers )—and as we seek to keep peace among citizens by softening their hearts , by training and civilization , so also we might soften the hearts of nations one towards another by such meetings a 3 these . ( Cheers ') In this faith—in this steadfast faith—he got this ark reared , the ark of a new covenant among nations ; in this faith he sent forth his missives into all lands ; in this same faith the nations of the earth have responded to his appeal ; they have understood his meaning , and have sent you , gentlemen , to represent them in this first great gathering . ( Cheers . )"

    The next toast was " The Foreign Commissioners , " to which M . Von Viebahn heartily responded in English , calling the Exposition " an event the advantages of which will serve the interests of all mankind . ' * M . Van de "VVeyer returned thanks on behalf of the members of the diplomatic corps : — " They would permit him to make use of a humble English phrase when he said , that the Crystal Palace spoke for itself , and had silenced for ever all dissentient voices . Since the 1 st of May , the grumbling against thaf . magnificent undertaking had entirely ceased , and this was but another proof of the truth of the saying of a witty Frenchman , ' Rien ne reussit si bienque le succes . ' ( Cheers . ) If such a phenomenon existed as an opponent to the Exhibition now , he must have a peculiar

    organization indeed . ( Cheers . ) As a foreign Minister , he desired to express his deep sense of gratitude to the English people . When the nations of the civilized world responded to the invitation of Prince Albert , and forwarded to this country the richest products of industry and art , they well knew they were treading on safe and solid ground , and their confidence was a just tiibute to the strength of British institutions , to the sterling qualities of the people , and to their respect for order , authority , property , and law . ( Cheers . ) Foreigners were not then so well aware as they now were , that every class of society would vie with the other in giving to visitors from abroad the warmest reception ; that the noblest hospitality would be shown , and that strangers would be made , by the reception they received , to feel themselves at home in this country . ( Cheers . )"

    Ihe Chevalier de Burg read a speech translated into English , in which he said : — " Our noble chairman has ever been foremost in the cause , and , as foreigners , we shall ever remember with gratitude the urbanity with which his hand , even from the commencement , has been stretched forth , to welcome such of us as wished to participate in the festival dedicated to the industry of every nation , a festival intended as a si leiunization of the sacred cause of labour . Gentlemen , I give you from my heart , ' Our noble Chairman , Lord Ashburton . ' "

    M . C . Dupm , in French , proposed " The lloyal Commissioners . ' ' lie spoke warmly in praise of English institutions , English wealth , the Royal Comtni-sion , and Prince Albert , the " most gracious , affable , and active of princes . " lie dilated upon and exaggerated the difficulties which they had surmounted—even the site of the * ' ieerie du Palais " had been disputed ; and lie wound up by an eulogy of the juries , justly applauding the whole conduct of the Comininbioners in relation to foreign exhibitors .

    Lord ( jrunvillc returned thanks in the name of the Itoynl ComniLsNioiiers . He Huid the present dunui waa given in honour of the foreign Commissioners , without whose exertions and untiring zeal the success of" the Exhibition must have been converted into a failure . The last toast proposed whs " the l . ealth of Mr . Paxton , " who said that when the grand project of the Exhibition was proponed , he had heartily entered into it ; but , while ho had antieiputed great results from assembling together the products of' all nations , he had anticipated still greatc-r advantages from bringing together the inhabitantH of different countries . ( Cheers . ) : — " In one respect only had he been disappointed , for Ins had fancied that the Crystal I ' aluce would lie ; i didicult . place to keep eh mi . ( Lau y the manner in which ho discharged the duticn of lua important oilice .

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    May 24 , 1851 . ] ® fft fceafrUtr . 479

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 24, 1851, page 479, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1884/page/3/