3 FEBRUARY 1872, Page 2

On the Education question, Mr. Winterbotham took Mr. Lowe's line.

He was was for secular and opposed to denominational education, and admitted that one of his chief grounds was the wish to prevent Roman Catholic education in Ireland. But though he had fought against the Education Act on the ground of preferring Secular Education, he had failed because the Dissenters "did not know their own mind." "If they had given half the energy to opposing the Bill before it pas.a which they are giving it now, it would not have bnon law." Now, however, Parliament had deliberately pronounced, and it would be impos- sible Lu get the Act repealed. He deprecated vehemently the secession of the Dissenters from the Liberal party in order to obtain the repeal of the Act. He thought it would delay every Liberal movement and impede the progress of education, and whatever the faults of the Act, under it at least the children of

England would get educated. Mr. Winterbotham is sobered by office. The great wave of Nonconformist enthusiasm passes over him and touches him not.