The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-10 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, 'WEDNESDAY.
The adjourned debate on the Catholic University
in the Dublin Corporation, was resumed yesterday,
[t occupied the whole day. The amendment, " Thal

s outside the functions of the Council to discuss
questions of this kind," was rejected by a large
majority. The numbers were—for, 10; against, 28.
The resolution of Alderman Darcy was then adopted.
A memorial in favour of a charter to the Catholic
University will be presented to the Government by
a deputation from the Corporation. It has not ya
been decided whether they 'will go in their robes,
after the example of the Corporation of Limerick.
The Lord Lieutenant will, of course, answer as he
did before, and state that the Government cannot
give their support to an exclusive system of educa-
tion. The system in this "University" is as much
under the control of the Roman Catholic prelates as
Maynooth itself. To give it a charter would be to
give the hierarchy the key of the learned profes-
sions, so far as the Roman Catholics are concerned.
The pressure of this power upon the laity is already
felt to be very oppressive; but silent, passive re-
sistance, is all they can venture to oppose to it. The
Catholic University would turn out as doctors and
lawyers a body of men little better than lay monks,
educated in the narrowest spirit of sectarianism ;
they would be supported by a system of exclu-
sive dealing. As the students would be trained
in the most submissive spirit, there could be
nothing like independent inquiry in morals or
history, or in any domain of thought over which
the Church has been pleased to extend her crozier.
The Government would, therefore, stultify itself by
giving this charter. It would be a decidedly re-
trograde movement, a policy of separation and
social disorganisation. There is now no demand
for funds to endow the University ; but this
would shortly follow the charter, as it natural
consequence. There are a number of diocesan semi-
naries connected with theßoman Catholic Church in
Ireland, all of which are being connected with the
Catholic University. Three of them have been
affiliated with the London University. They might
with equal consistency be affiliated with the
Queen's University of Ireland, for the purpose of
obtaining degrees. They might have called the
inatitutiou in Stephen's-green a college for the
education of laymen, and been content to take
their degrees from the Queen's University. Pos-
sibly a compromise of this kind may yet be
effected. The movement, however, that has forced
the question into the Corporation was not spon-
taneous. It shows what a few individuals may
effect by organization, canvassing, and perseverance.
The laity are almost passive in the matter. But,
even should they be excited into temporary fanati-
cism by the efforts of a few individuals officially
connected with the Catholic University, the feeling
of the Liberal party in this'coantry is that it would
be great weakness on the part of the Government
to give way. If they did, they would take the key-
stone out of the arch of the liberal policy which the
Legislature has been laboriously'building for the
last quarter of a century.
The Belfast _Newsletter mentions the following
extraordinary occurrence :—" A few days since
there was found on Trostan Mountain, county An-
trim, a man's head, no other remains being visible
in the neighbourhood. The head was brought to
the district constabulary station, where it was ex-
amined by Dr. Stone. Diligent search has been
made, but no part of the trunk or limbs has been
discovered, nor is there any person missing in the
neighbourhood. The case is completely enveloped
in mystery.

A LONG BILL.—The longest bill of the session
has just been read a second time. It has no less than 438
sections, and occupies 158 folio pages. It contains a muni-
cipal code for the Scotch burghs, and some of the clauses
are remarkable. Not keeping one's area " clear of all rub-
bish" is defined as an offence, "Hanging or placing any
linen or clothes on any rail or fence of any premises" is
another, and co is permitting a servant to stand on the sill
of an upstairs window to clean it, but in both instances
only if done to the obstruction, annoyance, or danger of
residents or passengers. A fourth offence may be men-
tioned for the benefit of man and beast, if it will not offend
ears polite : "It shall not be lawful to deposit any horse or
cow dung upon the public street." ' Whether the bill 18
wholly consolidation of existing law, or partly novel, it is
to be wished that Scotland may get it observed.