The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-23 00:00:00

3P'II{,IT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM TAE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
"STANDARD.—In the debate upon the Maynooth
grant either of 1840 or 1841, we do not remember pre-
cisely which, Sir Robert Peel, while declining to refuse
the grant, freely declared his conviction that a thorough
inquiry into the system generally pursued at the
Romanist College was called for, adding that
the proposition for this inquiry would most
becomingly proceed from the parties more directly
interested. Three years, at least, have passed since
this intimation was given, yet we do not find that
the parties directly interested in Maynooth have mani-
fested the least disposition to act upon it. Maynooth
remains, as Sir Robert Peel said on Friday, still in a-
most " unsatisfactory position," and it is now full time
for the Government to take up the consideration of the
subject. This consideration, to be effectual for good,
must, however, go a great way beyond the constitution
and conduct of this particular college. Narrowing the in-
vestigation within these limit!, almost the only alterna-
tive at which the Government could arrive would be
either to enlarge the grant, which upon the hypothesis
would be to augment enormously an enormous evil, or
to discontinue it altogether, which, if not a violation
of one of the subsidiary engagements of the Act of
Union, would be easily employed as a pretext
for charging such a violation. The investi-
gation to be opened by the Government must take a
much wider range ; it must embrace the considera-
tion generally of the means of education of the middle-
class Roman Catholics of Ireland, with a view to reform
the clergy of the Church of Rome through the laity of
the Church of Rome—the only way in which the Ro-
manist clergy, or the peasantry now enslaved to them,
can ever be effectually reformed, or the latter can be
emancipated. Were the middle-class Roman Catholics in
Ireland as well educated as the corresponding class of Pro-
testants, the power of the priests over the peasantry would
he rapidly extinguished ; and whether we are right or
wrong in our conviction that a prodigious step would
be made towards the religious reformation of the whole
people—it is certain that all, if not made Protestants,
would be made incomparably better Roman Catholics,
better neighbours, better subjects, and better men. The
means of effecting this all-important object ma)
not be easily discoverable, but we believe that
they are not hopeless, and it is quite appa-
rent that if employed they will be, in the great
majority of cases, of certain operation. There is in Ire-
land already a numerous body of educated Roman Catho-
lics, and these are universally, except the very few for
whom the tempting prizes held out by faction have
proved too strong, peaceable and loyal citizens ; their
number is increasing, and, with improved facilities
and motives for education, will increase until
'hey become co-extensive with the whole of the
piddle-class Roman Catholics in the island. These men
hold an opinion of the present order of Roman Catholic
priests very little different from that held by Irish Pro-
testants, and are at least as anxious as we can be to see
that order both improved and humbled. In the in-
tercourse of life they mingle freely and cordially
with Protestants of their own rank, and are as
freely and as cordially accepted in Protestant so-
ciety. A great deal of this happy communion is due to
Trinity College, Dublin, as Mr. Wyse almost acknow-
ledged while paying a just tribute to the high and honour-
able spirit of this Irish University, but the debt is due to
Trinity College as it is—not to Trinity College as it
would be if Mr. Wyse's proposition of introducing
Roman Catholic fellowships and scholarships were
adopted. It is because the corporation of the
College is and must remain exclusively Protestant, that
it is able to deal without partiality or suspicion of par-
tiality, which suspicion would be Just as destructive of
peace as the thing suspected. The notions of the
i power of rude fusion n conciliating, the disposi-
tions of men, long prevalent in Ireland, are strangely
contradictory of what experience teaches every-
where else. If you would have men to unite
cordially in friendship or in any common feeling,
you must trust to their voluntary approximation • and
where you interfere at all, interfere only to keep them as
much as possible apart upon those subjects upon which
you know that they cannot agree. The means of
conciliation hitherto employed in Ireland have
been very much like the device of cruel boys, who
tie the tails of cats together and throw them across
a cord that they may lovingly embrace, or
who fling a bone to two dogs at play,
to promote their affectionate dalliance. It is not, there-
fore, surprising that in Ireland " conciliation " always
means a challenge to reciprocal hatred. Quite sure we
are, that the less any Government attempts to force the
Irish Protestants and Roman Catholics into union, the
more rapidly they will join in friendship; like all the rest
of the world they choose to have their affections at their own
dispose/. Tocome back, however, to ourimmediate subject.
What the Government contemplates we do not pretend
to know, nor are we certain that they have as yet any
digested plan ; and, indeed, we almost hope that they
have net, because we think that in preparing prelimina-
ries for their reform, an amount of good may be ef-
fected, inferior only to the adoption of an effectual reform
itself. Before, in fact, any further step should
be resorted to, we would wish to see a report
of the constitution, state, conduct, and prospects
of all the principal universities on the continent of
Europe in which Roman Catholics are educated,
whether in Roman Catholic or in Protestant countries.
Such a report would be best compiled from the re-
ports of Consuls, for the reports of Commissioners
are always suspected, and the value of this re-
port would be the weight with which it must operate upon
the minds of the middle class. The report of which we
speak would, if we mistake not, show that in every
country of Europe, Ireland only excepted, the Roman
Catholic clergy and laity are educated in common,
and the Irish Roman Catholics would thus see the
fraud, which many of them already suspect, practised in
reserving Maynooth for an exclusively ecclesiastical esta
hlishment. Let us only reflect for a moment what would
be the effect, if the middle-class Roman Chatholics of
Ireland should insist upon a community of education as be-
tween laymen and clergymen. The laity would, of course
—honourably ambitious not to come behind their Pro-
testant fellow-citizens—demand the same liberal and
comprehensive education, which so many of them
now seek and receive at Trinity College,
Dublin, and the priests must submit to the
same course of reading. Nor is this all. The
priests could not dare to follow, in the presence of
laymen, that abominable line of study which occu-
pies nearly all their attention in the sty at May-
nonth. Their fellow-students of the laity would
not endure the abominations of Dens and Liguori, or the
atrocities of Devoti—at all events if such vile books
should still constitute the foundation of sacerdotal edu-
cation, the Roman Catholic laity would know it, and
would not be shocked and insulted by first hearing the
training of their wives and daughters' confessors from
the lips of Protestants, and in the presence of Exeter
Hall.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
(YESTERDAY.)
A man named James Randall, who, to suit his purpose,
adoi.ts a great variety of names, was brought before Sir
John Key, and charged by Ilorseford, the vigilant Men-
(limy Society officer, with having, by begging letters and
certificates, containing forged names, impost d upon seve-
ral benevolent persons.
Horseford stated that, on Wednesday last, he saw Mr.
Lambert, of No. 70, Lower Thames-street, and, in con-
sequence of information which he received, he went in
pursuit of the prisoner, whom he soon took into
cust.dy. Upon searching the prisoner's lodgings, wit-
ness found a seal which corresponded with an impression
upon a begging petition in the possession of the prisoner.
Mr. Francis 1). Lambert stated, that the prisoner
called upon him at his warehouse, in Lower Thames-
street, about the 6th instant, and produced a book con-
taining names and subscriptions. Witness gave him
five shillings, believing that he had been ship-
wrecked, as he produced a certificate to that effect.
Mr. G. Wawn stated that the prisoner called upon
him with the same melancholystory of shipwreck, on the
Ith instant, and witness banded to him 10s. to soften
down the calamity.
Mr. J. Taylor, of No. 36, SL Mary-at-Hill, said the
prisoner called on him with a forged petition about a
month ago, and witness gave him ss.
Mr. Edward West, of No. 26, Bucklersbury, secretary
of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, stated that the
signature testifying to the correctness of the statement
of the contents, and purporting to be that of Mr.
Wooden, tho agent to the Society at Southampton, was
false and forged. The Christian name was incorrect.
It appeared that the prisoner had levied contributions
on several other gentlemen, and that he had the knack
of asking with a " natural touch" which set all suspi-
cion asleep.
Sir Jolts lizir—How can you get over this evidence,
prisoner ? The prisoner—Why, my Lord, I was appre-
hended and taken to Marlborough-street a few days ago,
and these documents and statements were regularly laid
before the Magistrate, who, however, insisted upon dis-
charging me, after hearing all they had to say. Now, as
his Worship dismissed me, and as nothing new has been
produced, I trust your respect for a brother Magistrate,
will intimate to you the necessity of discharging me
without further investigation.
Horseford said the case before the Marlborough-street
Magistrate had not half the force of that which had been
just heard. He admitted that the seal had been found in
his trunk, but that, he contended, was nothing, as it had
not been found on his person.
Horseford produced a number of memoranda, and
prepared letters and petitions, addressed to the great
and well-known friends of humanity all through the
metropolis, representing a, series of calamitous visita-
tions. In his book was written down—" Try Mr.
of Russell-square ;" " Try Mr. —, of the Regent's-
park ;" " Try Mr. —, of Cornhill," &c., &c. ; and
some lists of subscriptions, which were, no doubt, kept
separate for the high houses, contained no sum inferior
to IL, the prisoner having, in several instances, put down
the sum of 5L to one individual.
Sir JOHN KEY told the prisoner he had been most
actively engaged in checking the current of charity by
playing off the degrading arts of an imposter.
The prisoner assured the Alderman that it was
nothing but distress of the most intolerable kind that
urged him to the dingreeable task of begging, which,
God knew, carried its punishment in he numerous
painful refusals, and that contempt with which a wretched
applicant was sure to be met.
-J. KEY-I shall, at all events, have you taken care
r some time. You shall go to Bridewell for three
months.
The prisoner—Lord ! you don't say so ? Why, I
have done little or nothing. Pray, ray Lord, when I
come out, am I to be done with any other prosecution ?_
Mr. Goodman (the Chief Clerk)—The three months'
imprisonment will not clear you of two charges of
forgery, which appear against you. You will, in all
probability, be prosecuted upon those.
I IHorseford stated that the prisoner a short time ago
obtained Si. from an eminent counsel, to whom he ap-