THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



485 



THE LONDON, OR CENTRAL FARMERS' CLUB. 



THAT THE IMPROVED EDUCATION OF THE LABOURER IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PRESENT 



POSITION OF THE FARMER. 



The first winter-meeting of the Club was held on 

 Monday, November 2, at the Club-house, Bridge-street, 

 Blackfriars. Mr, Owen WalUs, as chairman for the 

 year, presided, supported by, amongst others, Mr. J. 

 Pain (Beds), Mr. Beale Browne, Mr. Trethewy, Mr. 

 H. H. Tatam, Mr. W. Gray, Mr. J. Wood (Ockley), 

 Mr. T. Owen (Berks), Mr. J. B. Spearing, Mr. 

 Gibbons (Bucks), Mr, Brickwell (Oxon), Mr. T, Con- 

 greve, Mr, Spencer Skelton, Mr. W, Cheffins, Mr, 

 Thomas (Lidlington), Mr. Thomas (Bletsoe), Mr. 

 Bullock Webster, Mr. Cressingham, Mr. Wood (Croy- 

 don Club), Mr. L. A. Coussmaker, Mr. G. P, Tuxford, 

 Mr. Sidney, Mr, J. N. Lee, Mr, Morton, Mr. Eve, Mr. 

 Ambrose, Mr, Copeland, &c,, &c. 



The Rev. Charles Thomas James, M.A., was 

 appointed to introduce the subject for discussion, which 

 stood in the following terms : — " That the improved 

 education of the labourer is essential to the present 

 position of the farmer." 



The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said he 

 had great pleasure in meeting them again in that room, 

 after what might be considered their long vacation ; and 

 he was glad to find that the attendance included some 

 of the oldest and most influential members of the club. 

 The subject for discussion that evening was, he was sure 

 they would all agree with him, one of very great in- 

 terest and importance. The steam-engine and im- 

 proved machinery were every day more and more 

 superseding manual labour, and it was indispensable 

 that they should have more intelligence and more skilled 

 labour at command, to direct their engines and ma- 

 chines; and, without more extended education, it was 

 impossible that this could be the case. The question 

 was not altogether unbeset with difficulties ; but he 

 hoped that Mr. James, whom he had now great plea- 

 sure in introducing, would be able to show them that 

 those difficulties were by no means insurmountable 

 (Hear, hear). 



The Rev. C. T. James then proceeded as follows : 

 The three first men that ever lived, were a gardener, a 

 ploughman, and a grazier — significantly expressive of 

 how dear unto mankind should be all in any way con- 

 nected with the soil. The principles on which the re- 

 marks which it is my privilege and duty to submit to 

 you this evening are founded, are a decided acknowledg- 

 ment of the scriptural declaration, "That the soul be 

 without knowledge it is not good " — that we have no 

 right to fetter or imprison in perpetual darkness the 

 faculties of our fellow-creatures, and thereby impeach 

 that wise and beneficent Being, who, without respect of 

 persons, bestows the rich blessings of Intellect and 

 Reason with equal liberality upon all the children of 

 men ; and that it is not simply a wrong to our fellow- 



men if that is withheld which they may justly claim — it 

 is a sin and degradation to our rulers. I affirm that no 

 one can be in the right, who has not fixed religious 

 principles, and an earnest faith in those principles, that 

 the great powers of intellectual and industrial arts have 

 now no exclusion of name or station— 



" Honour and fame from no condition rise : 

 Act well your part; 'tis there true honour lies" — 



that the wondrous powers (the tools) of our time, viz. , 

 steam and steam-ships, printing, money, and popular 

 education, belong to all those who can handle them ; for 

 now intellect and industry wear the crown, and the road 

 that grandeur levels for his coach, toil can travel in his 

 cart. I maintain that he is a traitor to his country, who 

 does not strive to do his best to call out the resources, 

 the good qualities, and the enduring happiness and se- 

 curity of the British empire — that (though it may not 

 have been so intended) there has hitherto been too much 

 in the way of class interests, too much of a monopoly in 

 what concerns the human mind, and the education ia 

 things suited to their station, of the masses of the people, 

 — that those studies and pursuits which contribute so 

 much to the intelligence, to the refinement, to the en- 

 joyment, to the elevation of the human mind, should 

 no longer be considered as the peculiar property of the 

 more wealthy parties, but should be brought home to 

 the doors of all our workmen, and the hearths 

 of all our cottages ; and that additional means 

 and facilities should be given for that instruction, 

 that complete moral education of the whole cha- 

 racter and the whole man, which shall qualify them 

 to be good Christians, loyal subjects, skilful honest 

 labourers and servants, and useful citizens. I maintain 

 that incompetence, stupidity, imbecility, idleness, and 

 ignorance can no longer be allowed to usurp the places 

 of skill, of genius, of vigour, of industry, and of know- 

 ledge — that, if we wish our work-people to act well 

 for us, we must prove ourselves their true friends by 

 sympathy in their position, by an interest in their wel- 

 fare, and thus plainly and practically acknowledge and 

 show their claim upon us. I maintain that the effectual 

 way to better the condition of the people is to better the 

 people themselves, fitting them for the attainment of 

 higher enjoyments ; that an ignorant and uncared-for 

 population is, and must be, an unhappy and a vicious 

 people ; and that if we will not bestir ourselves for the 

 intellectual and moral benefit of our fellow-creatures, 

 we must be content to be taxed ten-fold more for the 

 punishment of their crimes ; and as to our criminals, I 

 affirm that if the State permits children to be reared in 

 vice, it cannot expect virtue from the adult ; nor is it, 

 if it refuses to educate properly, entitled to take ad- 

 vantage of its own wrong, and erect a gallows. No ; I 



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