oduced to the
notice of the House of Commons to-night the recent Minute of the
Committee of Council on Education.

Lord John Russell made a languid statement to a rather full House. His
speech was not very effective as it proceeded, and there was silence
when he sat down.

Then Mr Walpole rose and vindicated the Minute. He spoke with
animation, and was cheered when he concluded.

Sir Harry Verney followed, and the House very much dispersed; indeed
the discussion would probably have terminated when Sir Harry finished,
had not Mr Gladstone then risen. Mr Gladstone gave only a very guarded
approval to the Minute, which he treated as insignificant.

It was not a happy effort, and the debate, for a while revived by his
interposition, continued to languish until this hour (nine o'clock),
with successive relays of mediocrity, until it yielded its last gasp
in the arms of Mr Slaney.

The feeling of the House of Commons, probably in this representing
faithfully that of the country, is against both the violent parties in
the Church, and in favour of a firm, though temperate, course on the
part of the Crown, which may conciliate a vast majority, and tend to
terminate dissension.

[Pageheading: DISTURBANCES AT STOCKPORT]

_Queen Victoria to Mr Walpole._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _1st July 1852._

The Queen is much distressed at the account she has read in the papers
of the dreadful riot at Stockport,[36] alas! caused by that most
baneful of all Party feelings, _religious_ hatred,[37] and she is very
anxious to know what Mr Walpole has heard.

[Footnote 36: The Church question was brought into the
political arena in the General Election, which was now in
progress; much violence was manifested during the contest.]

[Footnote 37: "It is additional proof, if more were wanting,"
wrote Mr Walpole in reply, "that all Parties should forbear as
much as possible from the ostentatious parade of anything that
can provoke either the one or the other."]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _23rd July 1852._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--... We are very much plagued by our Treaty with
France. Victor Hugo has written a book against Louis Napoleon, which
will exasperate him much, and which he publishes _here_; we can hardly
keep Victor Hugo here after that.[38] The great plague of all these
affairs is their constant return without the least advantage to any
one from the difficulties