The Sun.
London, England, 1825-06-13 00:00:00

the abuse that I have received for speaking ill of that society•
No mood or tense was left untried—no term of abuse was for-
gotten ; but still I repeated, that they were unfit to educate
the people. I said, that they were in connection with societies,
instituted for the express purpose of creating a fraudulent and
purchased system of proselytism, and of calumniating the Ca-
tholics of Ireland, in their annual reports. • This is my day of
triumph, and I will enjoy it..—(Cheera.)—Tliere was a Com-
mission appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the state
of education in Ireland. It consisted of .five Commissioners,
one of whom at* 31r. Leslie Foster, an active member of
the Kildare-street Society. This was a feature in that com-
mission against which I protested at the outset, for although I
don't wish to say any thing indelicateor ungenteel, I have heard
before now of going to law with a certain black gentleman, and
holding the Court in a certain hot place.--(Laughter.)—But Mr.
-Conway was of a different. opinion from me, and I am glad to
say that lie was right, for even in the hot tribunal, justice has
. been done. I now hold in my hand the Report of that Committee.
'Phis Society used to get 22,0001. a year for educating the people
of Ireland. If Parliament act upon this report (and how can
they do otherwise than act upon it ?) they will not get a single
6d.—(Cheers.)—lt is now declared by the Report of the Com-
missioners—not certainly in the rough way that I used to say it,
but it-is stated quite civilly and genteelly, that these men are not
fit to educate. the people of Ireland. It is not my laughing at
them that they will feel bitterly, but the loss of die manage-
ment of twenty-two thousand pounds a year ! Oh ! how sleek
and how slim the saints will look with their eyes turned up and
their hands in their empty breeches pockets.—( Laughter.)—
The report gives a return of the education by Catholics, Pro-
testants, and Dissenters. The Protestants claim 90,000 indivi-
duals of the Established Church, as educated by them, and
3,000 of the Butterworth pennyfolk, while the Catholic children
educated in Catholic schools, are returned at 397,212.
Here - are 400,004 children, we may say, educated by
the Roman Catholic Priesthood, the men who are repre-
sented •as discountenancing education. It is really wonderful
where means have - been -found -to achieve this great
means of education. The Protestants, for their 90,000, have
been receiving 70,000/. a-year, between. their Charter
Schools and their Society for the Suppression of virtue.
I described them right, though I called them by a wrong name.
They have had from 70,0001. to 80,00/. a-year, for helping to
educate the people. They return about one child for every pound,
while the Catholics return 400,000 children as educated by them
and not 500/. of the funds for this purpose have been received
by grant. Remember, I- used to say, that the Protestant Clergy
were bound to keep schools- in their parishes. In the parishes
with which I am best acquainted, we are paying hundreds of
thousands of pounds for this purpose, and yet no school has ever
been kept there. My assertions as so 'the legal obligation of the
persons to keep schools was denied. A whole Mail was thrust
down my throat, and a Star was put blazing on my head.—
(Laughter.)--Now this report says, that every Protestant Cler-
gyman in any rectory or vicarage is bound by oath to teach
an English school in the rectory or vicarage to which he is
attached. Now, the fact is, that there, is scarcely one school
kept by any Protestant Rector or Vicar in Ireland, with
the exception 'of one parish, where the clergyman receives
2,0001. a year for the purpose ; and being remonstrated with
on the obligation imposed- on him by his oath, " Oh, well,"
says he, "it does not say how Long I am to teach them."
So he called in the bell-ringer and two ragged boys, and
got the bell-ringer to set them a copy. " There now,"
said he, " 1 have had an English school taught in my pa-
rish."—(Laughter.)—He animadverted on the late speeches
of the Duke of Ydek, Lord Liverpool, and the Marquis
of Anglesea, as the preceding speakers had done. He then
proceeded to the following effect :—I have promised in England
that there shall be a new Catholic Association.—(Cheers.)—l
have promised that there shall be a new collection of the rent.
—(Cheering renewed.)=—The people shall be enumerated—the
censuses from the parishes are already coining in. I have this
day got a census from the parish of Ardcastle, in the diocese
of Meath. The return of the -Catholic population is as fol-
lows :—Males, 682, Females, 561—50 that you see 120 of the
gentlemen • of that parish will -have to go look for wives elite-
where.—(Cheers and great laughter.)—However, males and fe-
males, they make a total of 1,243 Catholics. And then, as to
the Protestants—there is but one Protestant inhabitant in the
parish, and yet what do you think the poor people pay for
Church cess ? No less than four fourpence an acre, although
there is no Protestant Church. But there is a salary of 20/. a
year fora parish clerk, who has nothing to do, and 101. more
for one who is too old to do any thing.—(Great laughter.)—We
shall have a list of the inhabitants of every parish, Catholics,
Protestants, and Dissenters.- There shall by no more random
calculations -like Mr. Foster's Now we wilil make him a
present of the fraction, and we will give him whole
numbers—(Laughter.)—The Association will not be Catholic
alone. The first names on list will be those of eminent
and distinguished Protestants. It had been 'suggested, that
we should assume the dress that we wore on the occasion
of the King's visit (blue frock-coat, blue waistcoat, and white
pantaloous), and accordingly you see we have it here to-day,—
(cheers and a laugh),—and I hope that those who wish for
conciliation and unanimity would adopt the uniform, and,
then, if the ,Marquis of Anglesea should make an t xcursion
upon us, he will know whom to cut down. But we have also a
Marquis on the other side, who was the first to send his proxy in
our favour—(cheers)—we have the Noble and illustrious Do-
nouglimore, and we have as gallant an officer as ever wore his
Majesty's uniform, the Marquis of Londonderry.—(Cheers.)—
We aye also other causes of pride and Congratulation. Look at
the progress of education in the country, look anthe services of the
liberal press-and the liberal press, both in England and Ire-
land, have many claims to our gratitude anti regard.—
.(Cheers.)—Mr. O'Connell concluded, by professing his deter-
mination, as tar as his feeble services would go, to employ
them in the advancement of his country's freedom, and by
expressing his hope that he should soon see Ireland, as she
ought to be—

•
" Great, glorious, and free,
The first flower of the earth, and first gem of the sea."
Mr. Huau O'CONNOR concluded a very eloquent speech by
proposing a resolution, declaratory of the conviction of the
meeting, that Lord Liverpool, from the hostile policy mani-
fested by him towards the best interests of a very important
portion of the empire, was unfit to be continued in the office of
Prime Minist':r of Great Britain, which was carried unani-
mously.
Sir EDWARD BELLEW then moved, that a " Committee of
2.1 Gentlemen be appointed,"
Mr. DOWEL O'REILLY seconded this resolution, and it was
carried unanimously.
The Hon. Mr. PaEs•rog moved a resolution, thanking the
53 Protestant Noblemen and Gentlemen, who signed the reso-
lutionspassed at the Duke of Buckingham's. Carried.
Mr. O'CoNw Dox, after a short but very appropriate
speech, moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Brow. nlow. Carried by
acclamation.
Mr. F:N.X, after eulogising Mr. Brougham, Mr. Canning,
and the other splendid advocates of the Catholic cause in Par-
liament, moved a vote of thanks to them. Carried.
Mr. J. O'Rrtr.l.r said, a Resolution had been very unex-
pectedly put into his hands—a Resolution to whicu, under any
circumstances lie found himself inadequate to do justice—it was
a vote of thanks to the liberal and independent Irish Press.
All he should say was, that from his heart, and with all the
talents he could command, he would move the thanks of the
Meeting to the Liberal Irish Press.
It was seconded by Counsellor BRADY, and carried by ac-
clamation.

Several other Resolutions were then passed.
Mr. O'CONNELL moved the thanks of the Meeting to the
liberal Prcte'tant Dissenters of England, and particularly to
Mr. Wilks of London, and the Rev. Mr. Sheppard; of Liver-
pool.—Carried unanimously. •
• Mr. O'CONNELL moved the thanks of the Meeting to the
Duke of Norfolk and the English Catholics.—Carried.