The Sun.
London, England, 1807-03-05 00:00:00

existed amongst his Majesty's subteas is that part
of the British Rthpire.
Sir JOHN NEIPPORD—i" Mr. Speaker, I feel
MySaf able to convince the House, and I hope the
Honor cable and Learned Gentleman, on the points
of ilitierence between us, by adverting to the Afts
oldie Irish Parliament, which .pi'rticulatly referred
to the 'Catholic Seminary et Maynooth. If,, indeed,
•
the 'Leaened Gentlemen had edverted to them,..his
surprise that the demand for that institution had
increased from ehe average grant • of 80001. . would
have ..been emelderably lessened.; for he would
have found,. that the sums voted by the Irish Pere
liametit varied almost every year from 8 to g and
10,6061. .In fad it would have been found, that,
hough the sum.of 80001. was the averaged annual
grant, yetehe'lrisli Parliament expressly reeeignized
the principle of varying the amount of the .grant ac-
cording to times and circumstances.' With respeet
`to the object oft of the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man, that the existence, much more`the enlarge-
--Ment of tiecleraytiooth .Seminni-Y, was prejudicial
to the interests of the University of Dublin—this is
alt objection which I by no means admit; bet before
I enter on an investigation of that objedien, I beg
leave to appeal to that liberal and manly spirit which
marked the cotiduet of the Catholics, When, in' the
Petition' alluded to by the 'Hon. and Learned. Gen-
tlernan, they stfongly deprecated the intention of
excluding their Protestant country men from the
right cf beineeedutated at the college of May-
e
booth. But what was the true state of the. ques-
tion, and .how did the fit6ts fudly, exemplify. that
it operated it: no such way ? That th:.• of
Collides at the 'University of DubEti had oven
progressive, and 4 at momentthi there was
double the pain( er than et any former periosl.
But it was notonly in the Universi tv Of Dalinthat the
number'-of Catholic students- had increased ; many
of the higher orders of that -body are to be found at
the Universities in Eugland—at Edioburgh and Glas-
gow. But the Hon.. and Learned Gentleman has
saide it woult heee been a Wiser poliCY tohave en-
:larged the University of Dublin, and direded the
acya
tniooont I(l)fSanitiltims,
public money expendeido
(rh mteheedMu
to ;meet flie 'provision
there. Enlarge that University, I answer, as you
please, and you advance not one step to the objet
,of your wishes.--And the reason is obvious, because
persons who are to be instructed in the doCtrine and
discipline of the Romish faith, persons whose inten-
tion and pursuit is to instruct their flocks in certain
articles of faith, and in the observance of certain re-
ligious 'ceremonies, will never be indorPd or forced
to embrace -a syetem.cif-education fdreigu from those
purseits,- and which, though not hostile, are very.
different from the opinions of those whom you welikt
seled as their preceptors. Was the House to adopt
such a line of policy, there would, under the pre-
sent circumstances of the world, *remain to the Ca-
tholic but one alternative, namely,, no education,
no religious observance. They are, at present, de-
prived, in a great degree, of foreign education ; the.
monasteries and institutions, which were formerly
noted for those pursuits, have been' entirely over-
turned. To Hander's, Spain; and Italy, it is .irepos-
sible for the Irish Catholics to 'repair for education;
and will not the House take advantage of such cir..
cumstancei, and- duly appreciate the great national
benefits which must arise from granting
to them a
domestic education ?—To ratriA-theM
N to the (jai-
ersity of Dublin, is, .in other words, to Compel
them to a state- of ignorance. The.' thing would be
2;) utter impossibility; -it is indeed emravagant to
expea Catholic acquiescence to a scheme directly
,in defiance to the religion they profese; nor would
the Professors of Trinity College do their duty, un-
less they performed their part, which the Catholic
could not conscientiously approve. The Honoura-
ble and Learned Gentleman has asserted, that the
aecountse attaching to this branch .of the Miscellie
neous,expeediture, hate not been vouched. Had
be thought proper. to have extended his inquiriesi ht;
would have found, that l'he Commissioners of the
ImFeest; Accounts had as retularly- certified this
branch of services as of any other. The. two semi-ae-
ries have been said to be in a state of rivalry and hos-
tility. If such rivalry and hostility 'exist, lam
sure they' exist not with the Catholics. We
have alio been assured, that there is no visito-
rial power,. although et, is distinelly specified by the
statute, that the Lord Chancellor and the Judges of
the country shall be visitors of the moralS and. con-
dud of the scholars as connected with civil
wisely and prudently abstaining from any inter-
ference either in their religious clot-trine or discipline
If this measure had not been over and over disitisSed
by, the, Parliament of Ireland; if its eligibility bed'
not been generally admitted ; if the diminution of
Catholic incumbents was not by deaths tied other
causes very considerable, then there might be some
strong reasons for, not voting this' branch of ex-
penditure without mature inquiry. But lam sure
ibis in. the recolleetion of the House, that when I
proposed the ealscellaneous services of this year, I
did most particularly' advert to the increase of the
Maynooth Grant ; and. I was induced to make the.
observation, anticipating), as I did, an opposition
either. to the principle or amount of the Grant from'
a certain quarter in this House ; I didehiek there
:were certain persons disposed to quarrel with that:
measure. But why' quarrel with me,
.and not quar-
rel with my predecessor in office ? The objeetione,
in consequence, of its not being referred to a Com-
mittee, as aeMoney Greet, was formerly as valid
as it can be made against me. I haveintrodncede
nothing new, but have undeviatingly adhereci
to the plan which was previously chalked out.. But
I cannot conclude, without impressing
on the House
the small provision which is claimed for the educa-
tion of the Priesthood of at least.
,three of
people.. Every principle of humanity and sound
policy seems to we to call on this House for its ac-

quiescence."

iitraantquestion
this llMllcrri kited, esi7n.:llvli,lisVl:l pthirootulvigeeld't otfl
'thte
education of a great pof
or-
tion of the population of the Empire, any sett of
Christianity should be tolerated, as 'any one sed of
religion was better than no religion at all. He
was astonished to hear from an Honourable'
Gentleman over the
,way, that if the Roman.
Catholics of Ireland were to be educated in the
'principles': of their faith, it was little ruatter 'whe-
ther, they received that education in Ireland or in.
France. He was surprised, to hear this, because
it went to sai, that it was immaterial whether three
millions 6f tue King's own subjeds were educated at