The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-17 00:00:00

81R BTAFFORD RORTRCOTE dVD 1118
CONBTITUENTS.

A very noisy meeting took place at Bideford on
Tuesday. Addresses were delivered at an open air meet-
ing by Str Stafford Moravia* and Mr. Waken& the son-
servative candidates far North Devoe.. They wee, frit-
qvent/y interrupted, and could with &amity obtain •
hearing. The audience numbered about 2,000, and the
liberal element was strongly represented. At the close
of the which were a recapitulation of the senti-
minds
Sir Cio74.l7otteeirraealted a number of qnsisdmi, put
by Mr. Pynsent on behalf of the liberals. The right Uon.
gentleman said—l madder the introduction of Itesnanising
prectiose into the church of raies#o4. 44 one of Sbg ',4414:
I evil, of the day, and if I tan see my warte any ranedi for
itthat does nofintrodues worse evils, I will oertiunly support
the remedy. But I cannot pledge myself upon any measure
of that kind until I have seen it. The Maynooth grant mud
depend upon the course that parliament takes with regard
to the disendowment of the Irish church. My opinion is,
that the principles of the present settlement are right, but
if the property of the protestant Irish church is to be
taken sway, I take it for granted that the mdozent of
Maynooth mast also be taken away. No pro • m ever
was made in the House of Lommons for the en-
dowment of any Roman catholic university. LA
Voicz—Lord Mayo.) . No, Lord Mayo never made
any ouch proposal in the House of Commons as
to endow any Roman catholic university at all. What
he did say was, that a communication wee going on
between the government and the authorised representa-
tives of the Roman catholic church in Ireland which might
have led to a proposal to grant • charter for a Roman
catholic university, in Ireland. My belief is that if a
proposal had been made to the prelates of Inland
and the Roman catholic church by the govern-
ment with regard to the matter, and it had been
accepted, we should have been prepared to have brought
forward such a proposition before the House of Commons,
and should have been prepared to justify it; because as
Roman catholic@ pay their share of the icon, it is quite
right that they should have their share of the benefit. It
wee not proposed to endow • university, but it was pro-
posed, there being • Roman catholic universit in Ireland,
which is maintained priacipally by Roman • fundN
it was proposed to give such university the power of
granting degrees and completing the-education of Roman
catholic. in that country, provided they would have con-
sented to let the education be of a lay character, and
not of • simple priestly character. Because it was felt by
us that the gnat evil which is to be found in the Roman
catholic church is not so much as to the doctrines—which
really must not be taken into consideration—but
with regard to the influence of the univemity over
the lay portion of the population ; and whist he dc-
sired to me established was, a Boman catholic
university, in which the young men of Ireland could
be educated on the same principles with reference to their
own church as young men in England are educated upon
at the universities. There might have been a small grant
made to such • uniemity if it had been established. It
would have oonse out of the general taxation of the coun-
try, of which the Boman catholic, pay • part. Whether
it would have been laid upon tea or sugar I am unable
to say. i ani not ^^-d to MI Fir We ba lot. With
~
regard to bribery, a bill thereon eras passed during this
last acesion of parliament, end my Lame appears on I
**- of the la, it was • very imperfect NM. lam
quite prepared to support some scar! of a measure giving
the ratepayers a voice in the disposition of the rates, but
lam nut prepared to say what would be the uature of the
measure.
_

Mr. PrittrgyfT--On the last question hinge all the
previous ones. (Oh, oh.) Are the electors of North Devon
to understand that any pledges or promises re
by you this day are to be regarded as null and • -sue
TIM d your master and teacher educate.,
them? (Much laughter.) ...you to a un
sir STA7FOILD.—r 114 Tc
Fainettiaoort pealetly ready to answer
!
Ise by Mend Mr. Pyment, without
weemer ne was or was not a voter, beesume
I believed those questions were put In a boroidtde
I am quite aware them ate many persons who consider
that a contested election is intended as an opportunity
for insulting those who offer themselves as candidates.
I should like to be allowed, in reply to the last remark
from Mr. Pyment, to ask him whether he is of that
opinion. (Laughter and cheers.)
Mr. I'viremer—l was invited to put questions. 'here
was a deal of tergiversation on the part of the members
of the present government. I wish to know whether it Is
intended that these promises should be fulfilled, or, on the
contrary, treated as them which you made at South-
ampton. (Laughter, and a voice, You don't pay poor
rates.")
Sir Brarrontr—l decline to answer that question simply
because I believe that it is intended as an insult. (Hear,
hear.) I have-put to him in return the question whether
be considers that election times are times at which candi-
dates ought to be insulted P He has not answerml that
question. (Hear, bear, and cheers.)
Mr. Prrremer—l do not wish to offer an insult to any
man at any time. The speaker then asked whether the
candidates bad sanctioned the printing of hills to the
effect that Mr. Acland was nut the fanners' frieudi The
reply was in the negative.
ff.ir Stafford was also asked whether he would vote for
the abolition of the university testa, ,thereby conferring
tardy justice on the great body of protestant dissenters.
The right hon. gentleman answered— I should not see say
objection to the admission of dissenters to education at
the universities, or to the enjoyment of any endowments
that might be made for themselves ; but I should object to
the abolition of teats for the admission of any perilous to
endowments that were intended for another communion.