The Express.
London, England, 1852-10-28 00:00:00

EVENING, OCTOBER 28, 1852.

Theistrikdes wow She quelition of nos amounts M lie thus
given. Mai wwa leepiries I have made I have arrived at
Ihe SO l 4 to each perish In Ireland, there was
a hew' lad a seat Otto of lend—say from 10 to 20 sere.—
in the peals the et the catholic church, that would be all
the provide.* that would be required, or wished for, m the
general support of its ministers would be derived, so at pre-
sent, his the voluntary win•ribistioiss of their Rocks.
There ere in round number* about 1,000 parishes is Ire-
land. In many of diem there is now a provhdos up to the
standard above stated in the pamessies of the whelk
ehur b, bat I will mound that is all of theta sult provi-
sion would have to be made. One thousand pounds for
each parish, taking one parish with another, would simply
make up any defideney. and this marine throughout the
perishes of Ireland would require the mum of one million
sterling to be appropriated from the general lend ; and
this should be made over absolutely and for ever to the
cathelles of Ireland, In such hands end in such manner as
the funds of their church raised by voluntary effort are
usually secured. Under an arrangement of this kind, of
course the special great to the College of Maynooth would
be withdrawn.

The presbyterians under the (mention of this act would
lees their annual grant of 40,0001. per annum ; hut in plate
of it, morning that they have so orcanisatiou and a sys-
tem of government which would enable them to hold and
administer funds fur the au of their church, a portion of
the general fund should be set apart for them equal to the
production of a revenue of like amount with that they now
I receive by grant from parliament. This should also be
given to them absolutely sod for ever, and they should be-
' come henceforth a voluntary and independent church.
The protestant episcopalians should to treated as libe-
rally as the presbyteruins, with whom, it is estimated,
they aro about on a par in point of numbers. Assuming
that they could and would form themselves into a free
' episcopal church, the commission would be empowered to
' grant them • sum equal to put granted to the
presbyterians, and which would be about the muse
in amount as that granted to the esthetics. And
further, so long as they undertook to keep the churches
in repair they might be permitted to retain possession of
them at a nominal rent, fur their own use only ; and that
when or where they bad no congregation sufficient to main-
tain the church, then the buildings should be at the do-
I.omol of the COMMiIIOOII to let or well as might be thought
best. In the caw of the protestant episenpalians, uwith
the presbyteries' and the catholios, whatever sum is given
to them must be given absolutely and for ever, that thence•
forth they may rely on their own resources and become a
voluntary and Independent church. The state would
thus have distributed about three millions of the original
fund, and would have relinquished all claims upon it for
ever; and it would be the duty of the commission to take
care that those grants were applied, in the first instance,
for the purposes and is the manner intended by the act.
The remaining five or seven millions, as the eau might
be, might, and in my opinion ought, to be refereed
fur purposes strictly Irish, and directed to the educa-
tional and mural improveruet of the people without re-
spect to clam or creed. This fund would extend and per-
fect the educational institutions of the country; it would
establish and endow free libraries in all the chief towns of
Ireland, and would dispense blessings in many channels for
the free and equal enjoyment of the wl.ole population.
Of course there wilt be objections started to this scheme,
as there will b.. to any scheme which attempts to remedy
an injustice which has lasted for centuries. The t, church
party" may, and probably will, denounce it ass plan of spo-
liation most cruel and unholy; but no man who crepe***
to remedy Irish ecelesiaatical wrongs can expect to lied
favour with the sect whose supremacy be is compelled
to assail. We must hope that state patronage has
not so entirely dernoralieed the members of the
protestant episcopalian sect either in England or Ireland,
as to leave none among them who are able to see what is
just on this question, and who are willing that what is
just should be done. I believe there are many intelli.
gent and earnest churchmen and some eminent politicians
connected with the established church, who would welcome
almost say proposition which afforded a hope of a final
settlement of this question. From Scotland, and probably
from cereals quieten in Eagland, we may bear of the great
crime of handing over a million sterling to the Roman
catholic* of Ireland. It will perhaps be insisted upon that
to add to the means of a church whose leading is belt( to
' be " erreneons," is • grievous national sin ; sad marry will
I honestly doubt the wisdoms of a scheme which proposes each
an appropriation of a portion of a great public fund. Item,
there is not a sten in the United Kingdom more averse to
religious endowments by the state than I am ; I object to
the competitory levying of a tax from any man to teach
any religion, and still more to teach a religion in which be
does not believe; aad I am of opinion that to
take a church Into the pay of the state, and to
plus it under the control of the state, is to deaden and'
corrupt the church, and to enlist its influence on the side I
of all that is evil in the civil government. But in the pion I
now suggested, the Irish sects or churches would be lett
entirely free, as is the free church in Scotland, or the
Wesleyan methodist church in England. The grants mu
made, oath church would possess absolutely its own fends,
just u much as if they were the anumulstions of the volun-
tary contributions and liberality of past generation of its
member', and thus would be avoided the damage to religiose
and to civil government which is inseparable from what is
called the union of church and state ; whilst the sum granted
to each church being equal tea provision of about 40,0001.
per annum, would be too small to create any important
corporate influence adverse to the public Interest.
As to the complaint that the sum of lies:million is proposed
to be given to the Irish esthetics, I will ask any man with
a head to conprebend and a heart to feel, to read the history
of Ireland, not from the time of henry VIII , but front the
sect Mon of William 111. and if he inmate upon a settlement
of this question be grails to the protestant seats, and by
the refusal of any Ouvespandinig grant to the Roman catho-
lic., I can only say that his statesmanship is as wanting in
wisdom, as his pretemeatism lacks the spirit of Christianity.
If, for generations. a pulls of the protestant, of Ireland,
few in number bat peassufai mush wealth, have enjoyed
the large ecelmiostioal 11•141111•96 eta whole kingdom, and if,
during the sue peeked, the Rooms catholic., the bulk of
the population but patenting little wealth, have been
thrown entirely on their own limited resources, and under
circumstances of political and social inferiority, can it be
possible, when an attempt shall be made to remedy some of
the manifold injustice of past times, that any Englishman
or any Seotehman will be found to complain of the impar-
tiality of the government, and in his real for protestautism
to forget the simple obligations of justice ? But it may be
objected that It is country to mound policy to make grants of
public money to any public body, or corporation, or stet, not
submitting to state control—that, in fact, a church receiving
anything from the elate should be a state church. No one is
more sensible of the weight and soundness of this argument
than I am. But observe the peculiarities of this CYO. I
start from the point that henceforth thus shall be no
church in Ireland in connexion with the state." I have to
free the protestant episcopalian stet and the presbyterial.s
from their state rennezion, and to make the Irish sects
voluntary churches for the futare. I propose an eppro.
pennies of about one-third of existing coelesiastieral property
is 'reload, with a view to soften the apparent severity of
the champs* the seam Immetofore paid by the state, and to
make seer samsode to Ant majority of the Irish population,
the Wilma poet treatment is admitted by all the
The goeteehmb of Inhibit have done hitherto little
for themelesss bums the homely of the state has paralysed
their maim, so suds onsrlisos oaf tioemary ; the esthetics
have dam muck for tbasimahooe Ist they are in great po-
verty, and oar eximia%ellesielielldlell legislation has been
is felt, andnow felt Arms to Ms grievously unjust.
Would it aid be worth sonseseless of- the nun I have
rule , waif the &Media from ordinary which I
:= taito remeismend, toobtain the grand result which le
tentemplatod by the drop now proposed
I love old Act Obese be diossions to this schema
astil to every sehtmck Thor rhyme is centuries old, and
around it an, mateimodi hiterests, prejudices, fanaticism,
aaimmities, sod oesolatins. It is a desperate evil, sad
whoever waits till the rommi4 is phrase to everybody may
and will wait for ease. The Aloft in view is the tran-
quillity of Inland. no memsmriple bat altogether
novel in that unhappy ceentoi—to do hill and impartial
Pjtice to her whole population. I propose to leave the
resbytertans as well cirenntatamsed as they are now with
this exception, that all future extension of their organisation
, must be made at their o en east ; sad I would place the pro-
, intact episcopalism in es good a position es the presby-
terians. The setheita only *mid have any ground of
complaint, owing to their numbers so far extending those
tf the protestant sect.; bat la the application of the re.
malodor,. and mach the largest portion of the funds, for
educational or other purposes, they would participate exactly
in proportion to their numbers ; and I have a strong belief
that, so far as they are enneerned, such an arrangement as
is now susgested would be accepted as a final settlement of
a most diult and irritating question.
As yea know, I sin neither Roman Catholic, nor Pro-
testant Epuieopaliin, nor Presbyterian, no am I an Irish-
man. My interest la this matter is not local or sectarian.
I have endeavoured to study it, and to regard it, as be-
comes an Englishman loving rustics and freedom, anxious
for the tranquillity of Ireland, the welfare of the empire,
and the bonnie of the imperial government. I believe that
statesmanship does not consist merely in preserving institu-
tion,, but rather in adapting them to the wants of nations,
and that it is possible so to adapt the institutions of Ire-
land to the wants and circumstances of Ireland, that her
people may become as content as the people of England sad
Scotland are under the mild monarchy under which we live.
Some experience and moth reflection have convinced me
that all efforts on behalf of industry and peace in Ireland will
be in great put unavailing until we eradicate the sentiment
which is universal among her catholic population, that the
imperial government is partial and that to belong to the
Rowse catholic church is to incur the suspicion or the hos-
tility of the law. A true " equality" established amour
Irish seen would put an end to this pernicious but all per.
Tiding sentiment; and catholic*, whether priests°, laymen,
would feel that the last link of their fetters wee at length
broken. Supremacy on the one hand, and • degrading in-
feriority on the other, would be abolished, and the whole
atmosphere of Irish social and political life would be purified.
Theo, too, Christianity would appeal to the population, not
as a persecuting or persecuted faith, with her features die-
figured by the violence of her political conflict, but radiant
with the divine beauty which belongs to her, and speaking
with irresistible fore to the hearts and consciences of men.
I know not if the statesman is among us who is destined to
settle this great question, but whoever he may, be, he will
strengthen the monarchy, earn the gratitude of three king-
doms, and build up for himself a lasting renown.
I am sensible that in writing this letter, and in expres-
sing the views it contains, I run the risk of being mtsuo-
dentood by some honest men, and may subject myself to
misrepresentation and abuse. It is under • solemn sense of
duty to MT Country, and to the interests of justice and reli-
glen, that I have ventured to write it. I have endeavoured
to divest myself of all feeling of preference for, or hostility
to, any of the churches or setts is Ireland, and to form my