The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-14 00:00:00

ycause of popular education, and to the good govern-'
ment and to the character of this country. (Ap-
plause.) And what is the criterion of the success
of this institution ? Not mere numbers. They
would be very significant if it were only that. But
the proof of its success is the great political gain
which has been derived by the establishment of a
sytem in Ireland which has opened to men of dif-
ferent religious denominations combined secular
instruction upon the broad basis of religious equality.
(Applause.) That was what mainly interested Sir
Robert Peel when he introduced and originated in
parliament this plan. Sir Robert Peel, I well
recollect, said in the House of Commons—' You
may have the opinions that you desire, but I shall
relinquish with the greatest regret the hopes of an
education for Ireland which will give combined in-
struction
to the youth of the Protestant, Roman
. Catholic, and Presbyterian creeds.' Sir James Gra-
ham, who was one of Sir Robert Peel's warmest
supporters in the establishment of these Colleges,
said,—' Grant this system of education to Ireland,
and you will give her an education equal to that of
the University of Scotland or of Trinity College,
Dublin ;' and I ask you, by the ceremony of to-day,
whether the result has not corresponded with the
expectations those men formed, (Hear.) But,
even still more remarkable, I can point to the late
Prime Minister, Lord Derby. Lord Derby, when,
as Lord Stanley, he introduced that measure of Sir
Robert Peel's in the House of Lords, most strenu-
ously advocated this system. I heard the words
which he then expressed, and which were very re-
markable. He said— I think that, as you have
given your sanction to an exclusive system in Tri-
nity College, Dublin, for the purpose of supplying
clergy for the Established Church—as you have
connected the theological tenets of the Presbyterian
creed with the College established in Belfast—so I
think you have wisely and liberally agreed to aid
the education of the Roman Catholic priesthood by
supporting the Roman Catholic College of May-
nooth. All these, however, are theological endow-
ments. Now, when dealing with the laity, I entreat
your lordships to permit the laity of Ireland, of
every creed, to be educated in common, and under
the same teachers, in all those branches of learning
which do not and cannot affect their religious opt-
' nions. (Applause.) Well, gentlemen, as the Lord
Chancellor has just said, 11 years have elapsed since
this scheme has been in operation, and we are justi-
fied in assuming it answered the expectations of
those men who are interested in the welfare of Ire-
land. Now, I have pondered it for these 11 years,
and it does appear to me that, notwithstanding its
progressive development, notwithstanding the
benefits' it has conferred upon Ireland, there are
wanting two things to place this institution upon
that footing of comprehensive utility which it is cal-
culated and able to enjoy. Now, it you permit me,
if I am not trespassing too long on your time—
(no, no)—I shall allude briefly to the first and most
conspicuous of those points. (Hear.) It has been
very well observed by a very intelligent friend,
who probably may be in this hall at this moment
—speaking of these Colleges, he said—' These Col-
leges are a centre which collects to itself the highest
and the best of the national intellect, and, then,
under the influence of sound knowledge, fructifies
and developes it for the public advantage: (Hear.)
Now, that is true to a very great extent, but not
altogether. No doubt, the Roman Catholic and the
Presbyterian laity have availed themselves to a
very great extent of the Colleges, in accordance
with the hopes and expectations of those who
founded them. (Hear, hear.) I believe when this
institution was first founded there were 6,000,000
Roman Catholics in this country, only 100 of whom
were in receipt of academic education ; whereas
now, at the present day, there are more Roman
Catholics on the books of these Colleges at one and
the same time than there were Roman Catholics
who passed through Trinity College in 15 years.
(Hear, hear.) Is not that a proof of the advantages
which this institution has conferred upon Ireland ?
Is it not a proof also that the Roman Catholic laity
of this country have not shown a willingness to
accept Trinity College as the source of their own
academic instruction ? I may say the same with
reference to that most important and influential
body, the Protestant Dissenters, who also have
shown a great indisposition to avail themselves of
the education provided by Trinity College. (Hear.)
What do we find ? We find that three provinces
—Ulster, Munster, and Connaught—have each of
them a College—Belfast, Cork, and Galway; and
what do we learn ? I have been looking at the
rolls of these Colleges, and I find their educational
influences are almost entirely limited to the imme-
diate districts in which they are situate ; so that
while we have Ulster, Munster, and Connaught pro-
vided with collegiate education, we find the metro-
politan province of Leinster and the capital city of
Ireland entirely unprovided with those academic
advantages which the youth of Ireland justly and
properly claim. (Hear.) This should not be so. (Hear.)
We should have "toe metropolitan province of Lein-
ster, and the richest city in Ireland, uniting within
its limits a more influential Roman Catholic com-
munity than I believe is to be found in any of the
other three provinces, and also a most important
body of the -Wesleyan• communion, entirely de-
prived,
as the rolls of these Colleges show, of the
advantages of academic instruction afforded by
those institutions. (Hear.) Well, now I say that
is one of the points which have struck me as re-
quiring the attention of her Majesty's Government.
(Hear.) It does appear to me that an arrangement
might be made which, by extending this liberal
system of education into 'tall the provinces, would
be carrying out the original plan of the men who
founded these Colleges, but which plan at the mo-
ment was only temporarily adjourned, for the pur-
pose of subsequent adjustment. (Hear.) The other
point to which I may be permitted to refer is one
which relates to the placing of this University on
a par with the University of Scotland and with
Trinity College. It is more easily dealt with, and
why ? Because we do not want to go to the Go-
vernment for grants in order to effect it. It can be
dealt with by a proper exercise and display of the
public spirit of this country ; and I believe there is
in Ireland as much public spirit as there is in Eng-
land or Scotland. (Hear.) What is it to which I
allude ? I find that the youth of the Queen's Uni •
versity cannot compensate themselves with those
scholarships and exhibitions, and prizes, as the
older Universities do, I find, by reading over the
memorandum of the Queen's Colleges, that there
are only 10 exhibitions for graduates connected
with each College, of £4O a year each, tenable for
one year, and the sum at the disposal of the autho-
rities for the purpose of giving prizes to under-
graduates is extremely small. It is given away in
prizes of books,:and in affording means, I believe, for
the purpose of maintaining students in the course
of the University. (Hear.) Compare this with
what we find in the older Universities, and it will
appear most inefficient; and I say the public spirit
of the country ought to come forward and en-
deavour to place the Queen's University on the
footing of other academic institutions. (Hear, hear.)
If you allow me, I wish to take this opportunity of
saying that, as I am so firmly convinced of the im-
mense advantage which would accrue to the youth
of this country by offering exhibitions for competi-
tion, I will myself, with the permission of the
Senate, establish three scholarships of £4O a year
each—one for each of those colleges—for the space
of 10 years. (Applause.) I only hope the example
which I set may be followed by those who have a
more direct interest in the welfare of this country.
(Hear.) I do not take any credit to myself for doing
this. I esteem it as an honour to be able to assist
in the work which was founded by my father—
(cheers}-and I accept this position, as I may almost
say, on the plea of ' founder's kin.' (Renewed
cheers.) I have spoken with the secretary of this
University, and I have to-day placed in hil hand a
memorandum bearing tm the subject. (Cheers.) I
hope that others will come forward and assist in
establishing 10 or 12 scholarships, exhibitions, or
what you please to call them, for the undergraduates
of this University. (Applause.) At all events, I
myself, for a period of ten years, will establish
annually three scholarships of £4O each—one for
each of those colleges. (Heir, hear.) I have, I fear,
too long trespassed on your time—(no, no)—but
before I sit down I cannot refrain from saying that
each succeeding anniversary acknowledges the
justice—the nothing more or less than justice—that
has been paid to the youth of Ireland by the exten-
sion of academic institutions. (Hear, hear.) Each
succeeding anniversary acknowledges that the
exertions of those who laboured to remove the
difficulties which arise from various religious creeds
have been crowned
s,ladies i e withs
(Hear.) Yes,
of the fruits, so gentlemen, the in-
gh
aa vt he
e thisrin g
day witnessed i s sao speak,rtroodoroftiio w
which wef
tlhe reward;past.
ofl It
the
thee llabours
onlyou r
s orfetha those pneirehna
cvp sh,
obut
ri
ot
vi o
of ir s
to improve the educational soil
for
that seedtime and harvest from which eland
Ireland
now reaping such immense and recurring benefits.is
(Hear.) I say that man, no matter who he is or
where he may be, must indeed be callous and in-
, dia,.rent to the welfare of his country wholvill not
join in thankfulness to God for blessing the work
from which social improvement and sound learning
have flowed through all the channels of this coun-
try. (Hear.) One word more and I have done.
Go on, I would say to the youth of this University.
Continue to advance in the career of knowledge and
in the fear of God. Keep to those paths by which
specialtiesnt
you have been enabled to master rudi-
mentsonotonolnlytothbeeoopro tsof ayes, of medi-
cine,
fioi
oonf
but which have enabled you
and of law,
classical
ssi
thec al
various knowledge,
thoroughly to appreciate those noblest creations of
antiquity which, consecrated by the genius of Greece
and Ramer halre licecme 124ilowed by the dust of,