LORD BROUGHAMwished to ask his noble Friend (the Earl of Aberdeen), a question respecting the measure in which he naturally took very great interest, the Education Bill. He was anxious to know if the Government intended to pass it this Session. He would take this opportunity of setting his noble Friend (Lord John Russell) right, or rather noting an omission in the statement he had lately made in another place. For the expressions used by him respecting the labours of the Education Committee of 1816 and 1818, he (Lord Brougham) felt duly grateful, as the only survivor of that body except his noble Friend at the table (the Earl of Haddington); but the commendation had been confined to the Committee's inquiries respecting charitable trusts, and the legislative measures proposed and carried by them on that important subject. His noble Friend had omitted to state that the same body had originated the measure respecting Education which had since been carried into effect, and which continued to be pursued. There was a report of that celebrated Committee recommending the very course afterwards taken, of grants for schools to be applied by the Government; and the mode of application had also been pointed out. He (Lord Brougham) had no power of giving effect to this report until he came into office; but he then obtained the concurrence of Earl Grey and his other colleagues to the adoption of the plan, and the grants were accordingly in 1833 begun which had since been increased with the most beneficial effects. He owed this statement to the memory of a body so often the object of ignorant censure and party clamour.
§ The EARL of ABERDEENsaid, it was with great regret he had to inform, his noble and learned Friend that it was utterly impossible to proceed this Session with the Education Bill.