xx.) THE KDUCARION QUESTION. 485

Malte, harbour with nearly 1000 hands, without ever stirring
out of port.”
“ London, April 10. ( , )}—We have been all in excitement
 hore with the Chartist meeting at Kennington Common,
which after all has gone off very quietly, and does not appesr
to have been so pumerously attended as was expected. In
my opinion the Government and the newspapers have made
far too much fuss about it. From all that I can learn there
Were not so many as 40,000 persons present, and they dis-Persed
 quietly. I do not think I shall be able to go north
with you before next Monday week.”
“ April 15. ( ,, )- You will have seen by the paper what
a megs Feargus O'Connor has made of the Charis petition.
The poor dupes who bave followed him are quite disheartened
and disgusted, and onght to be so. They are now uch
more disposed to go along with the middle class.”
“May 13. ( ,» )—You will hear that all the papers are
down upon me again. In making a few remarks about the
Alien Bill, I said that the © best way to repel republicanism
was to curtail some of the barbarous splendour of the
Monarchy which went to the aggrandizement of the
aristocracy.” My fow words drew up Lord John as usual,
and he was followed by Bright with a capital speech.”
“« Manchester, April 24. (To GQ. Oombe.)—You know how
cordially I agree with you upon the subject of Education.
But I confess I see no chance of incorporating it in any new
movement for an extension of the suffrage. The main
strength of any such movement must be in the Liberal ranks
of the middle class, and they ave almost exclusively filled by
Dissenters. To attempt to raise the question of National
Education amongst thera at the present moment, would be
to throw a bombshell into their ranks to disperse them.
In my opinion every extension of popular rights will bring
an nearer to & plan of National Education, becanse it will

1848.
Ap. 44.