The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-05 00:00:00

intention when important changes were to take place.
And certainly next week would not elapse, without his
giving a genera! :aternsei, of his inter dons on this sub-
ject. With respect to the Irish Church (we understood
the Right Hon. Baronet to say), it was not necessary for
him now to occupy the House with any observations. He
wished the Noble Lord would take the opinion of the
House as to whether the Government had taken any
steps derogatory to the honour of this country, or da-
maging to her fair name, in the arrangement which they
had made with the French Government, and which the
Noble Lord had denounced.—(Hear, hear.) Let the
House consider the language which had been used in the
French Chamber. He would not impute unworthy mo-
tives to the men who held the language most opposed to
the views of this Government—men like M. Dupin—like
M. Thiers. When they saw such rat n—who bad
held eminent situations in the service of their
country—accusing the French Government of hav-
ing dishonoured France ; and when they saw the
English Government accused that night of having
dishonoured England—it would be acknowledged that
great difficulties would be thrown in the way of reconci-
liation when unavoidable differences arose. Whilst he de-
nied that- there was any grounds for the statement that
the Government either of France or of England had done
anything humiliating or disgraceful to either country,
he would say look to their whole policy, and say if any
concession had been asked upon the one hand or offered
on the other, which would not have been asked and con-
ceded if the circumstances had been reversed. He wished
the Noble Lord would, on some opportunity, take the
sense of the House on the question, whether the course
which had been adopted was not the most consistent
with sound policy, and dictated by wisdom. As he had
said before, the Government had indulged in no boast at
the close of last session. They had taken credit only
for having acted with justice and moderation.—(Hear.)
They had applied the terms to the conduct of both coun-
tries, and in that there was no arrogance. The House
would judge whether the statements made with respect
to the state of the country—the improvement of trade—
the continuance of tranquillity —and the absence of po'i-
tical anxiety in Great Britain at least, were not justified
by facts which were an indication of that prosperity
upon which her Majesty congratulated Parliament. Ile
should shortly have measures of great importance, when
it would be for the House to decide whether the honour
and interest of the country had been neglected and its
condition deteriorated—or, that her Majesty's present
Government were worthy of that confidence from the
House, without which no Ministry could subsist.
Lord J. RUSSELL wished to explain what he had
said upon a subject of so much importance to this
country and to France as the case of Mr. Pritchard. Ho
had given no opinion as to whether the reparation given
was sufficient or not. Her Majesty's Government were
satisfied, and be was, therefore, satisfied that the repara-
tion was sufficient. What he had said was, that when two
Governments were on amicable terms and the best un-
derstanding, the question ought to have been settled
without delay, and the chance of a rupture between the
two countries have been prevented.
Sir C. NAPIER, who was for some time inaudible
from the noise in the House, expressed his thanks to the
Noble Lord for having brought the case of Mr. Prit-
chard before the House. M. Guizot himself had ad-
mitted that the case of Mr. Pritchard was the case of
humanity and justice. The Noble Lord at the head of
Foreign Affairs had demanded a great deal, but nothing
had been yielded to his demands. If a British officer had
behaved to a French subject, under the same circum-
stances, in the manner in a which a French officer had, in
this case, behaved to a British subject, lie had no hesi-
tation in saying that, upon a court-martial, he would
have lost his commission. He would ask the Right Hon.
Baronet why it was that all this had taken place ?
Where was the British Admiral ? Why was he not at
Otaheite to prevent all these eccentricities ? Why was
there only a small ketch to represent this nation, when
the French had a large force ?—(llear.) The only
excuse for the very slight reparation which had been
made was, that the present Gorernment had reduced the
navy to so low a state that we dare net show a boll face
to the French Government, and tell them that we would
not allow such things to proceed. Why, at the very
moment when this was going on, there was only one
three-decker at Plymouth, and only an c O gun ship at
Portsmouth, ready for service ; while the French had
steam-boats which would have enabled them to bring
over ten thousand men on the very next day after the
English Ambassador should have left Paris, to destroy
the dockyard of Portsmouth or Plymouth. He was ex-
ceedingly glad to find that the eyes of the Government
were at last opening in reference to this matter. It was
his belief that when they had a large navy, there would
he no more insults, no more eccentricities, and no more
aggressions ; and he did hope, there; re, that means
would be adopted to render it thoroughly efficient.
Mr. PLUMTRE said he should not have troubled the
House with a single word, but for the announcement
made with respect to the late President of the Board of
Trade. With regard to the announcement made by the
Right Hon. Baronet, he must say that to him that ex-
planation was almost unintelligible, and quite unsatisfac-
tory.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the announcement
that it was his fixed determination, without any condi-
tion, to make further concessions to the Roman Catholics,
though he was quite ready to allow that the Right Hon.
Gentleman intimated, at the close of the last session,
that he intended to make further grants, he was very
much deceived, if the announcement made by the Right
Hon. Gentlemen that evening would not create a very
considerable sensation.—(Hear, from the Opposition.)
He was quite satisfied that such a sensation would be
excited ; and certainly, continuing to feel as he had ever
done upon this subject, he should not consider it his
duty to attempt to repress such a sensation. He deeply
regretted that the Right lion. Gentleman felt himself
justified in snaking the announcement which he had
made to the house and to the country that night. He
felt very sorry that he had not—if he might so speak—
learnt that the course of concession taken by him before
was an ineffectual course.—(lronical cries of " Hear,
hear.") It was too plain that concessions had only led
to further concessions. Concession had ever been the
fruitful parent of demand. That it would be so in
this present case, he was perfectly satisfied, while any-
thing remained to be demanded.—(Hear, and cheers
from the Opposition.) The course proposed by the
Right Hon. Gentleman was one not only highly unsatis-
factory to himself, but he felt persuaded that it would
also be extremely unsatisfactory to a very large proportion
of the community of this country.
Mr. WYSE said that when the Right Hon. Baronet,
at the close of last session, intimated his intention with
reference to the subject of Roman Catholic education,
neither he (Mr. Wyse), nor those who acted with him,
considered that he was promising a concession to the
Catholic population of Ireland. He stated that the posi-
tion of things in that country, with reference to eccle-
siastical affairs, and academical education, imperatively
demanded an improvement and extension of the means
of instruction. Maynooth had been very carefully dis-
tinguished by the Right Hon. Baronet, from other in-
stitutions. That was an ecclesiastical establishment in-
tended for the education of the Catholic priesthood in
Ireland, and as effectual for that purpose as any institu-
tion in any country in Europe. The Right Hon. Baronet
had stated in emphatic language that the religion and
political principles of the institution in Maynooth had
been already to a certain extent recognised. The ob-
servation that if ever so small a sum were granted, it
was as effectual an admission of the necessity of such
an institution as if the largest grants had been offered
by this country. That was an obvious and common
sense view of the question. It was not a financial ques-
tion, but a question of high moral policy, and as such
it should be treated. He believed that ecclesiastical
education in Ireland could only be managed beneficially
by leaving it in the hands of the Catholics themselves,
in purely ecclesiastical establishments, otherwise the
would neutralise and negative the benefits which
they professed themselves anxious to confer.—
(Hear, hear.) It would be premature in him
to offer any lengthened remarks at that stage of the
matter. But he hoped that means would be taken for
giving any institution which might be established the
highest moral character, and that its professors would
have not only a religious, but an intellectual eminence
aed dignity in the country, which would ensure for the
Institution general respect. With reference to the ex-
tension of academical instruction in a secular sense, that
was a subject that would demand the closest attention.
He could not infer from the word " academical" whether
it were the intention of the Right Hen. Baronet to em-
brace by his measures schools immediately coming in
point of order between the elementary schools and the
university-, or whether he meant to confine himself to
university education alone; but thus much he must say
in /inane, that if a mixed system should be found neces-
sary, it would be extremely desirable not only to pre-
vent the religious opinions of Catholics from being tam-
pered with, but also to avoid wounding the sensibilities
of other portions of the community. He believed
that the success of the measure would in a
great degree depend on the observance of these
particulars. One question of very great importance in
connection with thislsubject was that of re-forming and
opening the University of Dublin.—(Hear, hear.) Re-
serving those unquestionable rights which the Protestant
clergy had to an efficient education of their own church,
he did not see why the people of Ireland generally
should not have the benefit of an institution so largely
endowed.—(Hear, hear.) He would reserve all further.
remarks on the subject until the propositions of the
Right Hon. Baronet had been laid before the House.
Mr. BELLEW said he cordially rejoiced that since
they last met one great source of the amelioration of Ire-
land had arisenin the projected railways in differecut
parts of that country. He rejoiced at this, not so much
because capital would thus be dispersed, a
habits of industry and peace would be generates
xdeanpdenedni:
en-
couraged. The benefit would be not in merethr
ture of the moment,but in the persaanenti I
yi mProved habits
n connection
which might be confidentlyanticipated.
with this point, he had the strongest hope that the re •
port of the Landlord and Tenant Commission would
prove very beneficial to Ireland. He had always be-
lieved that in appointing that commission her Majesty's
results.
Government had been actuated not by a desire to
divert public attention, but to seciure
practical
wulitts.
h
The question involved was one, ncomparison
which all others seemed unimportant ; and this very
attempt to improve the existing state of things deserved
the gratitude of the country. With regard to the
Charitable Bequests Bill, he had resided in Ireland for
the last five months, and had never witnessed anything
like universal opposition to the measure. Great un-
fairness and misrepresentation were resorted to by its
opponents ; while numbers who took part in this
agitation, he did not hesitate to say, opposed the mea-
sure, not so much on account of its substantial demerits,
as because they were unwilling to consider any measure
acceptable which came from the present Government.
There had been an immense deal of misrepresentation
in Ireland respecting this Bill. It had gone the
round of all the parishes in Ireland, that the clergy
would no longer have control over their congregations, and
that the ancient acts pressing upon Roman Catholics,
which were repealed last year, were to be again re-
enacted this. No doubt there were many injurious and