378 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1846- aroused. The debate on the second reading began on the 7th of April, and was continued on the 3rd of June. Russell opposed the measure, objecting both to its secular character and to the principle of free education. Sir R. Inglis accused Mr. Fox of neglecting the eternal destiny of the children ; Lord Ashley took a similar view, and the evangelical oppo- nents were joined with equal vigour by the Roman Catholic party.* The combination was too strong for the reformers, and the bill was rejected by 287 votes to 58.f It was after this defeat that, at a great conference at Manchester, the Lancashire Association was converted into the " National Public School Association," and the agitation was continued with increased determination. More immediate success attended another effort made by the party to promote popular education. On the I4th of February Ewart, who then sat for Dumfries, obtained leave to bring in a bill to enable town councils to establish
- Adams, p. 154. He says, "From the high-priest point of view there was no
good in the scheme, but only visions of Democracy ! Socinianism ! Communism ! and Infidelity ! and all these because it was proposed to teach the alphabet." t The following are the names of the members who were wise enough, in 1850, to vote for a plan which the whole nation when it was more efficiently represented declared to be necessary in 1870 : Adair, H. E. Aglionby, H. A. Anderson, A. Anstey, T. C. Armstrong, Sir A. Bass, M. T. Berkeley, Hon. H. F. Bouverie, Hon. E. P. Brotherton, J. Browne, W. Bunbury, E. H. Cayley, E. Clay, J. Cobden, R. Davie, Sir H. R. F. Dawson, Hon. T. V. D'Eyncourt, Rt. Hon. C. T. Evans, Sir D. L. Ewart, W. Fergus, J. Ferguson, Col. Forster, M. Sadleir, J. Fortescue, C. Scholefield, W. Fox, W. J. Smith, J. B. Green, J. Strickland, Sir G. Hall, Sir B. Stuart, Lord D. Harris, R. Stuart, Lord J. Henry, A. Tenison, E. K. Hey wood, J. Thicknesse, R. A. Lushington, C. Thompson, Col. Marshall, J. G. Thornley, J. Melgund, Visct. Villiers, Hon. C. P. Mimes, R. M. Wall, C. B. Milton, Visct. Walmsley, Sir J. Mitchell, T. A. Williams, J. Mowatt, F. Willyams, H. Muntz, G. F. Wilson, M. O'Connell, J. Pechell, Sir G. B. Gibson, T. M. } Pelham, Hon. D. A. Hume, J. Romilly, Col. Russell, F. C. H.
