396 Intelligence-British and Foreign School Society. They are happy on the present occasion to inform the Meeting, that already a school has been established at Luneret, in France, under the direction of the Rev. M. Cadoret, a Protestant Minister, in which a number of Catholic and Protestant children receive instruction. This feature of the British System in making the schools accessible to children of every religious denomination, received the universal approbation of all foreigners who visited the School of the Institution, and it is upon this plan that the Commission at Paris are now proceeding. ASIA. In addition to the means for diffusing knowledge in India, which the School at Calcutta affords, of which mention has formerly been made, the Committee have the pleasure to state that a new establishment has originated from his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent. The Second Battalion of the Royal Scots (the Duke of Kent's regiment,) having been ordered to Hydrabad, where it will probably remain for several years, his Royal Highness gave directions for the establishment of a regimental school, under Sergeant Mullens, who had peen instructed at In giving the Royal Free School. this order, his Royal Highness expressed his hope that this regimental school would be the sure means of fixing for ever the principles of the British and Foreign School Society in India, upon a basis which nothing can hereafter destroy. The Committee, anxious to co-operate with his Royal Highness in this important design, voted the necessary requisites for the outfit of this school, in lessons, slates, &c. for 200 boys, for which, at the instance of Sir John Jackson, the Directors of the India Company granted free tonnage. lads for Sierra Leone, under the caer An application having been made to the Committee by the Rev. Mr. Latrobe, on behalf of a Hottentot school belonging to the Moravian Mission, at Guadenthall, about 170 miles from the Cape of Good Hope, in which about 250 Hottentot children have been taught to read, write and cipher, the Committee voted a supply of lessons, slates, and all school requisites, for a school of 300 children. The letter of Mr. Latrobe, contain-' ing much interesting information, is inserted in the Appendix. AMERICA. The rapidity with which schools upon the British System have been established in the New World, almost exceeds belief. Scarcely three years have elapsed since the first genuine school of this description was established by Robert Ould, in George Town. This young man states, that independent of his own school, in which, since his arrival, upwards of 2000 children have reaped the benefit of instruction, teachers have been qualified, and schools opened in nearly all of the principal towns in the United States." Accounts have been received of the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Osgood and Robert Johnstone, sent out by this Institution, at Quebec, where they had commenced their operations by establishing a school. A letter from the Secretary of the Society was forwarded by the Duke of Kent to Sir G. Prevost and Sir J. Sherbrooke, requesting their patronage and support to the object of Mr. Os good's mission. Desirous that no opportunity should be lost to extend the facilities of the At the same time was sent a supply system, your Committee applied, by their Foreign Secretary, to the Dutch of lessons and requisites for the school Ambassador, for the purpose of inter-belonging to the Royal Acadian Instiesting his Excellency on behalf of the schools at Amboyna, which are supported by the government, that they may be organized upon the British System, and thereby be made applicable to a larger numb.er of children. AFRICA Since the departure of the African tution at Halifax, under the superintendance of Mr. Bromley. A letter was lately received from Sir J. Sherbrooke, Governor of Nova Scotia, dated Halifax, February 4, acknowledging the receipt of the Secretary's letter of the 3d of September, accompanying the lessons, &c. trans mitted by the Committee for the use of the Royal Acadian School Establishment, in which school there are nearly six hundred children of both sexes, and of various religious denominations; of these children sixty-four are black, and several orphans. Sir John acknowledges in the warmest manner the advantages of the co-operation of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent; and adds, that if the Rev. Mr. Osgood should be induced to visit the province in which he presides, that he shall be happy to afford him every encouragement and protection. The account of this establishment at Halifax by Mr. Bromley, is inserted in the Appendix; it will be read with peculiar pleasure. A gentleman of the name of Phillips, who had been very active in establishing a school at Antigua, having perfected himself in the system of the Royal Free School, the Committee voted him a supply of lessons, &c. for a school in that island. Also, it having been reported to the Committee that a school established at Sydney, in New South Wales, was in great danger of declining on account of a want of slates in the colony, they voted a supply of lessons, slates, and requisites, for a school of 200 children. Having taken a survey of the proceedings of the Society in foreign parts, before your attention is directed to the parent Institution, the Committee beg leave to suggest a measure, which appears to them of considerable importance; viz. that the society should associate with itself such persons residing in foreign parts, as may distinguish themselves in promoting general education, and whose correspondence would be beneficial to the great cause : with this view they prepared a resolution, which will be submitted to your consideration, for instituting a class of honorary corresponding members. [To be continued.] MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ;' OR, The Christian's Survey of the Political World. THE dreadful conflict has begun. The French were the assailants, and having been foiled in their attempt must expect a similar irruption of the allies into their own territories. The Emperor left his capital, and having previously prepared his forces, began the campaign by attacking the Prussians on the Sambre near Charleroi, drove in their posts, and took this town. Some severe fighting ensued, which compelled the Prussians to retreat to Wavre; and the English in consequence, who had very bravely defended their posts to Waterloo. Buonaparte advanced with his whole army to the spot, where a dreadful battle was fought on the 18th of June, which ended by a general charge being made by Duke Wellington, and overthrowing every thing before it; and the French completely beaten fled in every direction. The English wearied by the exertions of the day, and this last effort, could not pursue far, but left this task to the Prussians, who had not been so busily engaged, and the consequence was, that they added fifty pieces of cannon to the two hun dred taken by the Duke, besides a great number of prisoners. The battles were all sanguinary, as both sides fought with great determination and exasperation; and it is supposed that the loss of the French amounted to upwards of thirty thousand men. The loss on the side of the allies was also great, but this day confirmed the opinion of the decided superiority of the English over the French, when the battle depends on personal bravery and vigour. We are now writing in the uncertainty of the impression, that has been made in France by so decisive a victory. Where Buonaparte is, is unknown, nor where, nor to what amount his scattered troops are collected. The allies will leave him little breathing time, and the Duke was preparing to march from his head-quarters at Nivelles into France. The French have taught the world to pay little regard to fortified towns, and indeed there is force sufficient to leave ample watch upon them. We may expect, therefore, that the next battle will be fought upon French ground, and probably at no great distance from Paris. Buonaparte is retreating upon his own resources, and the allied armies will proceed with due caution against him. Having been foiled in his attempt on the low countries, he must now defend his own territories, and if he could not gain his point against a third, we may say only of the allied powers, what is he to do when the Russians and Austrians enter France with their great masses, and Spain and Italy send in their detachments to ravage the southern departments? To add to the desperate state of affairs, it appears certain that a very large body of discontents is accumulated within his kingdom. It is not merely in the Vendée of the adjacent departments, but it extends throughout the south of France; and Bordeaux and Marseilles are combined together by a strong intervening body, which will be ready to rise as soon as sufficient force appears to second their efforts. On the army itself complete reliance cannot be placed; for Buonaparte confesses himself that a general and several officers left him to go to Ghent, the residence of the exiled sovereign. Such is his wretched condition, that it appears almost morally impossible, that he should extricate himself, and Paris will be again at the mercy of foreign powers. The French nation torn to pieces by foreign war and domestic confusion, presents an awful picture to the world. On Buonaparte resuming his abdicated power, he found that his throne was fixed upon a very different basis from that on which he had left. It required not only the army to defend it, but the co-operation of the people to support it. Absolute power was for the present not to be thought of, and he must submit to the restraints of a representative government. Preparatory to the meeting of his parliament he had, in imitation of those assemblies of the people which were holden by our remote ancestors at Easter, a grand convention termed the Champ du Mai. Hither were convoked the representatives of departments and communes in vast numbers, and they were addressed by the Emperor with all that stage effect, for which the French nation is so distinguished. In this assembly it was declared, that the French had agreed to the constitution proposed to them by Buonaparte, had re-elected him Emperor, and abjured for ever the house of Bourbon. The chief points in the constitution were the appointment of two chambers to unite with the Emperor in the framing of laws-the liberty of debate the liberty of the press the freedom of religious worship and security of person and property. All these things have been so often repeated, that they cease to have an interest or to create a great impression on the public. It has been seen how ready to promise all parties are before power is exposed in their hands, how ready to break their promises when that power is consolidated. Buonaparte addressed the meeting from two thrones, the one where he stood as the civil sovereign and as the head of the people, at the other he was the general and took the oaths of fealty of his surrounding army. The acclamations of that day might give him strong confidence in his party, but many districts were not represented, and the voice of the nation could not be collected from votes, delivered in such a state of confusion. However, there cannot be a doubt, that what with the army and the great body of people interested in the exclusion of the Bourbons, his party must be very strong, and capable of making desperate efforts in its defence. They have thrown down the gauntlets, and if the exiled sovereign should be brought back again to Paris, his opponents cannot expect so much mildness as they experienced in his previous reign. It is supposed, that that party which went under the name of the Jacobins, has at present the ascendancy, and they are determined to make France a limited monarchy. They have given up the idea of a republic as impracticable, and Buonaparte it is supposed entered into a compromise with them to govern according to law, in which the consent of the representatives was indispensable. The experiment is on its trial, but is not likely to be of any duration. The chambers have met, have been addressed by the sovereign, and returned spirited replies. They have had some debates also, in which a freedom of opinion has been displayed unknown under the former regime of Buonaparte: but it is of little consequence now to attend to their discus sions, as they must evidently give up every thing to the chief point, the de. fence of their country. This general has to communicate to them that fortune in which he so much trusted has forsaken his standard, and it will be soon seen whether they possess the energy by which France once became so great a terror to its enemies. This spirit must rise almost to desperation, or they will be compelled to surrender on any terms to the allied sovereigns. In the mean time Louis preserves his state at Ghent, and issues his royal mandates to a disobedient people. He is surrounded by the remains of his ancient noblesse, and a considerable number of the military, and he will be prepared to enter France with a sufficient cortège, as soon as the Duke of Wellington has prepared the way for his re-assumption of the throne. Indeed, since we commenced the above, the reports are, that he has quitted Ghent for France, where Lisle has declared for him, that Buonaparte is at Paris, and given a more calamitous account of the battle of the 18th, than his adversaries had published that he had in fact abdi cated the throne, and the Representatives were employed in considering the means of defending the country. If this is the case, the allied sovereigns will be put to a difficult test. If Buonaparte is no longer acknowledged by the French, and he quits the throne, the cause of the war is at an end; for it arose on his assumption of power, and was its, at least, avow. ed cause. Will they allow the French the right of framing their own government in what manner they please, or will they insist on the restoration of the Bourbons? France again conquered, may feel most severely, but we doubt much whether peace can be restored to Europe by the meaus suggested by the worldly politicians, whether by portioning France, according to the Jacobinical experiment in Poland, or by forcing a government in direct opposition to the wishes of the majority of the nation. France seems to be placed in such a situation in Europe, that whatever the allied sovereigns may do at present, their jarring interests will in a very few years overthrow. This great event absorbs all minor considerations. The conquest of ano ther kingdom is scarcely thought of. Our last left Murat fleeing from the Austrians, and the remainder of his story is given in few words. They marched directly to Naples, took the place without resistance-overthrew the existing government-established a provisionary one, till Ferdinand, who had been sent for, could arrive from Sicily, and again regulate the affairs of his restored kingdom. A proclamation has been issued by him, in which we were glad to see an amnesty proclaimed; and in fact so great have been the sins of all parties, that' this word should be written in golden letters, in all the capitals of Europe. The residence of the French has been, we believe, of no disservice to Naples, and their government was far better than that which preceded them. Let us hope, that the Bourbon may have derived some good lesson from adversity; yet when we look to Spain, we cannot but entertain great apprehensions for the result, and in the general improvement of the times, it has been said of the Bourbons, Ils n'ont rien appris, ils n'ont rien oublie. ed to his capital, to reign over what The poor king of Saxony is returnthe allied sovereigns have chosen to leave, him of his former dominions. His proclamation on this subject expresses deeply his feelings, which cannot but be felt by his former subjects. Saxony was one of the best governed states of Germany, as Prussia one of the worst. The latter was completely military, and Berlin was notorious for being the head quarters of infidelity. How this will suit the Saxons, who ral and religious people, time will were an industrious, commercial, moshew. The spirit of discontent, that manifested itself in the portion of their army, under the orders of Blucher, indicate a similar temper among the new will repress their indignation. The subjects of Prussia, but the bayonet late victory will settle at least for a time, the mutilation of Saxony, and the destinies of Venice, Genoa and the Netherlands. The worldly politician may remove as he pleases land-marks, but his designs are frequently frustrated from a quarter, where he least expected opposition. The war between the United States of America and Algiers, tres produced as yet no warlike results. A fleet has 400 New Theological Publications.-Correspondence. sailed from America, as has one from Algiers, and the issue of a rencounter may easily be conjectured. In South America confusion seems to reign, but without any symptoms of favour to the mother country. The black government of Hayti seems to be firmly established; and among the curiosities of the times may be noted a black red book, giving a full account of the imperial court and the officers of the executive government, written and published by blacks, with an account of their constitution, in which is one article, that might be transfered with advantage to the white code: namely, that no man should hold an employment under the civil government, unless he is married. In the awful crisis in which we commit this to the press, let our earnest prayers be, that God would send that peace into our minds, which would prevent the world from being torn to pieces by the convulsions with which it has been so long agitated, and may his holy spirit, which cannot reside in corrupt and sanguinary breasts, be restored to the hearts of Europeans. NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE. Letters addressed to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London, in vindication of the Unitarians, from the Allegations of his Lordship in the Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of London, at his Lordship's Primary Visitation. By Thomas Belsham, Minister of the Chapel in Essex Street, 8vo. An Appeal and Address to the Yearly Meeting of Friends, held in London, A. D. 1814. By Thomas Foster, on his Excommunication for asserting the Unity and Supremacy of God the Father, 8vo. Systematic Education: or, Elementary Instruction in the Various Departments of Literature and Science; with Practical Rules for Studying Each Branch of Useful Knowledge. By the Rev. W. Shepherd, the Rev. J. Joyce and the Rev. Lant Carpenter, LL. D. In Two Volumes, 8vo. Fugitive Pieces, in Prose and Verse. By William Drennan, M. D. 12mo. SS. An Elucidation of the Unity of God, deduced from Scripture and Reason, addressed to Christians of all Denominations. Fifth Edition Enlarged. 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In front of our next number, the middle of the present volume, will be given a Portrait of MICHAEL SERVETUS. We have received various subscriptions for the Chapels at Neath and Res* sendale, of which a statement will be given in the next number. |