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French consumer; and the new restriction of Belgium on our yarns, had had the effect of losing that country every market but France; so, there was a prospect, that experience and self-interest would cause a revision of hostile tariffs. On a division, 96 voted for the second reading, and 18 against it.

The Bill, which after meeting with some opposition from Earl Stanhope, was carried in the House of Lords, was subsequently incorporated into an Act for Amending the Customs, which received the Royal Assent before the close of the Session.

CHAPTER VIII.

EDUCATION-The Queen's Answer to the Address moved by Lord Ashley-the Factory Bill introduced by Sir James Graham-Discussion on the Second Reading-Objections taken to the Education Clauses-Remarks of Mr. Ewart, the Earl of Surrey, Mr. Cobden, Sir R. Inglis, Lord John Russell, Lord Ashley and Sir James Graham-The Bill passes a Second Reading-Active Opposition exerted against the Bill out of doors-Extraordinary number of Petitions presented by its opponents-The Government introduce modifications into the Bill to obviate the objections of Dissenters-Sir James Graham explains the alterations, and makes an earnest Appeal to the House in favour of Education-Lord John Russell approves of the Amendments—Mr. Roebuck moves a resolution declaring that all plans of State Education should be kept clear of any specific religious system-He is opposed by Sir James Graham, who_vindicates the plan of the Government, and by Mr. Hawes-The Resolution is rejected by 156 to 60—Continued and vehement opposition to the Factory Bill-Immense number of Petitions against it-The Educational Clauses are abandoned by Government-Sir James Graham announces their withdrawal—Discussion in the House of Commons on that occasion-Remarks of Viscount Melbourne in the House of Lords on the failure of the Factory Bill-Church Extension-Sir Robert Peel brings forward a plan for augmenting small livings and endowing ministers--Detail of the Measure-Remarks of Sir R. Inglis, Lord Dungannon, Mr. Colquhoun, Lord John Russell, Mr. Hume, and other Members-The Motion is carried unanimously. SEES OF BANGOR AND ST. ASAPH-Earl Powis introduces a Bill in the House of Lords to repeal the recent Act for consolidating those Bishoprics-His Speech-The Duke of Wellington opposes the Motion, which is supported by the Bishops of Salisbury, Exeter, Bangor, Lord Lyttleton, and Earl Fitzwilliam, opposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishops of London, Lincoln, and Norwich, and Earl of Ripon The Bill is withdrawn for the Session. CHURCH OF SCOTLAND-Lord Aberdeen introduces a Bill to remove doubts respecting the admission of Ministers-His Speech-The Bill is supported by the Earl of Haddington, the Lord Chancellor, and the Earl of Minto, and opposed by the Earls of Rosebury and Burlington, Lords Cottenham, Brougham, and Campbell-Further discussions on the Bill, which passes the House of Lords with considerable opposition -Sir J. Graham moves the Second Reading in the House of Com mons- -Mr. Wallace, seconded by Mr. Hume, moves the rejection of the Bill-Mr. Rutherford opposes the Measure in a forcible Speech

against it, and Sir W. Follett, Mr. H. Johnstone, Sir G. Clerk, and Sir R. Peel in its support-The Second Reading is carried by 98 to 80-It is again opposed on the Third Reading, but is ultimately passed-Law Reform-The Registration of Voters Bill-Its objects, as explained by Lord Wharncliffe-Lord Campbell's Bill for the Amendment of the Law of Libel-Nature of its Provisions-Other Measures of Legal Reform are postponed at a late period of the Session-Parliament is prorogued on 24th August by the Queen n person-Her Majesty's Speech-Results of the Session.

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We have already given in a for children were to be reduced

former Chapter of this Volume, the discussion which took place on Lord Ashley's Motion for an Address to the Crown on the subject of the Education of the Working Classes, and in the same place will be found the statement made by Sir James Graham on that occasion respecting the measures contemplated by the Government, for the promotion of this vital object. The Queen's Answer to the Address, then voted by the House of Commons, was delivered by Earl Jermyn at the Bar of the House, on the 8th March. It was in these terms:

"I have received your loyal and dutiful Address. The attention of my Government had been previously directed to the important object of increasing the means of moral and religious education among the working-classes of my people; and the assurance of your cordial co-operation in measures which I consider so necessary, confirms my hope that this blessing will be secured by legislative enactment."

On the same day Sir James Graham introduced his promised Bill, for regulating the employment of children and young persons in factories; enumerating its chief provisions, first, as to the regulation of the hours of labour, and other details of internal government. The hours of labour

from eight to six-and-a-half hours a day; the whole to be performed in the forenoon or in the afternoon. The minimum age of children to be lowered from nine to eight years. At present, the work-time of "young persons," those above thirteen and under eighteen, was limited to twelve hours; the maximum age of female "young persons" would be raised to twentyone; the time on Saturday to be limited to nine hours. Machinery to be guarded so as to prevent accidents; and not to be cleaned while in motion. The power of making up for lost time where water-power is used to be limited. Qualified surgeons to be appointed to attend the several mills of a district. With regard to the other part of the Bill, Sir J. Graham said he should not then enter at large into the Education Clauses, for it would be unnecessary for him to restate what he had said upon former occasions, but he hoped that on the whole the measure would give general satisfaction. Thus much, however, he should say with respect to the Education Clauses, that he trusted the effect of the measure would be greatly to increase the number of children receiving the benefits of education. The Bill would include within the scope of its operation all children employod in silk factories, and he hoped still further

by a separate Bill brought in with the sanction of Her Majesty's Government to include the lace factories and the children engaged in printing, thus comprehending all the children employed in all the great branches of our manufactures. There was one omission in his statement which he begged to supply; it was that in all the manufacturing districts the children of any parents, whether those children were employed in factories or not, should have the benefits of education at an expense not exceeding 3d. per week. The education being to some extent compulsory, it would go far to establish a national scheme of instruction upon a large scale.

Lord Ashley concurred in the proposed arrangements regarding education. He regretted that further limitations had not been introduced with regard to the hours of labour, and, as that did not seem to enter into the plan of his right hon. Friend, he (Lord Ashley) should himself propose it in Committee.

Mr. Hindley wished that the hours of labour should be left an open question.

lips, and several other Members on the Opposition side of the House then started objections to the Education Clauses, as giving a too exclusive management of the schools to the Clergy of the Church of England, to the prejudice of the Dissenters and Roman Catholics ; and Mr. Hawes designated it as an attempt to place the education of the great mass of the country in the hands of the Church of England.

Sir James Graham explained that the vote upon the second reading would only determine the question, whether or not the funds of the State should be devoted to the purposes of education; the details of the method and management of education, and even principles involved in those details, would be open to future discus

sion.

Lord John Russell admitted that; but he thought a discussion of the objections to the education part of the measure would be useful in limine.

Accordingly, the question that the Bill be read a second time having been formally put, the House launched into the discus

Leave was then given to bring sion, and the objections already in the Bill.

On the Motion that the B. be read a second time, which came on for discussion on the 24th March, a discussion of considerable interest on the proposed scheme of education took place in the House of Commons, which elicited much variety of opinion. Sir James Graham stated that it was proposed on an early day to go into Committee on the Clauses regulating the hours of labour, but to postpone the Education Clauses until after the Easter recess. Mr.

indicated were more specifically stated. The principal were, that although Dissenters formed a majority in the manufacturing districts, and the Roman Catholics were an increasing body, they would be practically excluded from the benefits of the measure, by the composition of the school-trusts, the appointment of a clergyman as a chief trustee, and the approval of the masters by the bishop of the diocese, the power of inspection, which it was assumed would be exercised on behalf of the Estab

ing" of the Scriptures in the schools, which would inevitably be an exposition of doctrines offensive to Dissenters. These objections were insisted on as fatal to the measure in its present form, by the Members already alluded to. Mr. Ewart suggested, either that the Irish plan should be adopted, and only such portions of the Scriptures used as different denominations could agree upon, or that the system should be altogether freed from its theological part, and confined to secular instruction, religious instruction religious instruction being left to the various ecclesiastical bodies to which the scholars might severally belong. Mr. Hume strongly supported that view. Sir George Grey and Lord John Russell argued for proceeding with the measure, in the view of affording opportunity for such objections to be obviated. Mr. Cobden, admitting the force of the objections, rather supported the measure, as a step in the right direction. The Earl of Surrey, as a Roman Catholic, generally approved the measure, but wished details, objectionable to his own persuasion, to be altered. On the other hand, Sir Robert Inglis took the lead in objecting to the Bill, that it did not "tend to place the Church in so prominent a position, as from the character of the Church it deserved; but he thought that, if well worked, it might produce more benefit than injury to the Church." From these conflicting opinions Mr. Gally Knight inferred that the Government plan was the juste milieu, the golden mean. Mr. Cowper declared it the best practical measure of the kind which had ever come under discussion. Mr. Manners Sutton, Mr. Darby, and others on the

Ministerial side, fully supported the Bill. Such is a general view of the various opinions expressed in this debate.

Sir James Graham spoke rather early in the course of it, answering some objections. He doubted the applicability of the Irish system to England, and he explained that the dreaded "teaching" of the Scriptures would be like that described by Mr. Dunn, the Secretary of the British and Foreign School Society, in evidence before a Committee on the education of the poorer classes, in 1838; the teacher would explain the sense of the passages read, and also doctrines so far as they were involved in that sense, but he would not inculcate sectarian dogmas. Masters offending against such regulations would be liable to removal by the Privy Council. He deprecated the heaping of difficulties in the way of the measure, and urged its imperative necessity; the events of the last autumn had shown that not a moment was to be lost -the youth of the parties gene. rally engaged in the outbreak was a remarkable fact; and it was his firm belief, that if a measure of the kind had been carried ten years ago, the outrages would not have taken place. The object the Government had in view was to supply a measure of education extensive in its operation, consonant with the principles of the Established Church, and at the same time to the utmost extent consistent with the honest principle of toleration.

The arguments respecting the necessity of the measure were earnestly enforced by Lord Ashley. Alluding to late inquiries, he said

"Without remorse we have disclosed our disgraceful position

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