The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-01 00:00:00

THE OYSTER FISHERIES.

Sir CHARLES LEMON inquired of the Vice-Presi.
dent of the Board of Trade, whether it was the intention
of the Government to bring forward, with a view to its
enactment in the present session, a Bill to prevent exces-
sive dredging for oysters during the breeding season; by
which practice, as has been abundantly proved, the
oyster beds are often seriously injured, and may be ow.
tirely destroyed?
Sir G. CLERK said that no measure on the subject
would be introduced this session. He was of opinion
that this interference with the oyster trade would ma-
terially affect the supply to the metropolis.
After a few words from Sir C. LEMON, the subject
dropped.
STATE OF IRELAND.
On the order of the day for the House resolving itself
into Committee on the Colleges (Ireland) Bilif
Sir EDMUND HAYES said that, in pursuance of the
notice standing on the paper, he had to ask a question of
the Right Honourable Gentleman the Secretary for
the Home Department as to the present disturbed
state of Ireland. He wished to know whether the
powers at present possessed by the Executive Government
were considered sufficient to put down the system of
outrage and murder which was carried on in that un-
fortunate country—a system ca,yrying terror and dismay
into the hearts of the peaceabi: portion of the com-
munity.—(Cheers.) If the Govern.Thent said that they
required other powers, he should Ow to know what
those powers were?
Mr. B. OSBORNE said that before tlut.t question was
answered, and to save after trouble, he should wish to
know what part of Ireland the Hon. Member referred to?
Sir E. HAYES said it was quite evident tl:at he re-
ferred to those counties which were the scones of those
disturbances.
Mr. B. OSBORNE—Name them.
Sir E. HAYES—Cavan and others.
_ _

Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that her Majesty's Go-
vernment had felt as much anxiety as the Hon. Member
emit,' possibly do, respecting what was going forward
in the counties of Wicklow, Cavan, and Fermanagh. He
could inform the Hon. Member that every effort had
been made to repress the outrages and crimes
that unfortunately prevailed. They had recently
increased both the military and police forces in those
counties, and it was to be hoped this step had done some-
thing to arrest the progress of this deplorable state of'
affairs. He quite agreed with his Hon. Friend that
neither politics or religion had anything to do with this
unfortunate state of things. He had been infurmed that.
a meeting of both the laity and clergy of these counties,
without distinction of denomination, was about to take
place, at which measures would be devise lfor co-operating
with the civil and military powers. He did not despair
but with this the existing powers would be quite suffi-
cient to secure the peace of those districts. At present,
however, he was not prepared to advise any othercourse.
ACADEMICAL EDUCATION (IRELAND) BILL.
The order of the day for going into Committee
was read.

Mr. J. O'CONNELL presented a great number of
petitions against this Bill ; the number of signatures
attached to them he stated to be 300,000.
Mr. ROSS said he wished to correct a statement that
had been made in a former debate, respecting the Pro-
fessor of Greek, in the College of Belfast, teach-
ing Arian doctrines. He was instructed to state
.that the Reverend Mr. Bruce had never, on any
oeseasion whatever, taken advantage of his position
as professor to inculcate Arian doctrines. This
he (M.^. Ross) thought it was necessary to state in order
that 11-00. Members might go into Committee with e
perfect untlerstanding respecting this point.
Mr. S. (YDRIEN said that he bad already stated his
belief that the Bill would be the subject of endless
revision if the House undertook fully to consider
it. He was convinced that if he endeavoured to
discuss it his labour would be unavailing, and he thought,
therefore, that he should best consult the convenience of
the House by stating thus early his objections to the
details of the Bill. Without expecting to modify the details
of the measure, he should have at least the satisfaction
of having performed his duty to the House aud his coun-
try. He admitted the importance of education, and great
and pressing as was the physical suffering of the people,
he admitted that the education of the present generation
might lead to a diminution of that suffering in those
that were to follow. He would, however, remind
the House of the measures which were recom-
mended by his Hen. and Learned Friend the
Member for Cork, and those recommended by the Com-
mission of Inquiry ; and he felt that they were destined
to pass another session without seeing any measure
introduced fur the diminution of the suffering, the exist-
ence and the extent of which was acknowledged by all.
He would also remind the House, that several years ago
the Commissioners of Education in Ireland said that it
would require the annual sum of 200,0001. a year to pro-
vide education for the people of Ireland. He would
take this opportunity of saying that he preferred a
mixed education, and objected altogether to the ex-
treme opinions held forth by the Archbishop of
Tuam on the one side, and the Archbishop of Armagh
on the other. Classical and mercantile education were,
he thought, sufficiently provided for in Ireland, but there
certainly was a deficiency of scientific instruction.
He did not object to the amount of the grant
proposed by the Government, which he thought liberal.
The friends of united education in Ireland opposed the
measure because it provided for the religious instruction
of neither; and the friends of separate education opposed
it because all sects would be amalgamated without the
possibility of Christianising any. The Irish people were
essentially a religious people, and it therefore was in-
cumbent on the guardians of the Roman Catholic mue
lation of the country to approach the House with e
demand for the appointment of a Roman Catholic,
chaplain. But the Bill, as at present framed,
provided for the religious instruction of neither
Protestant or Catholic ; and though it contemplated
and sanctioned voluntary endowment, such a contin-
gency was very uncertain ; and if it did not
oecur, as he believed would be found to be the
case, no provision whatever would be made.
He thought the plan which had been suggested by the
Roman Catholic Prelates was one of the best which he
had heard, and he was persuaded that nothing but
the Anti-Catholic prejudices of that House prevented its
being adopted. The Noble Lord the Member for Hert-
ford had proposed another plan, namely, that fees should
be demanded from every student. That proposal also
had been rejected. The Catholic Bishops de.
manded for the Catholic students protection front
all interference with their religious tenets. He
thought they would admit that that body was fully
justified in the jealousy which they felt with respect to
this Act, as in the Executive Government there was not
a single Roman Catholic. They went on to say that
the Act allowed Roman Catholics to be eligible for
the chairs of geology, moral philosophy, and history,
as well as other professorships; and in some of these,
as in geology, he did not see that any point of differ-
ence could arise between Roman Catholics and Pro-
testants ; but still it was well that they should secure
the students from the contagion of infidelity. He had
thus endeavoured to show that the remonstrance made
against the Bill by the Roman Catholic hierarchy of
Ireland was perfectly justifiable, and that it ought to
receive the consideration of Government. He did not
think that the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary for
the Home Department could be considered the most
fitting judge of what was necessary for the education of
the Irish people. He could scarcely be thought the.
most able person to decide on the merits of the persons of
either faith, who might be candidates for these professor..
ships. And yet the Right Hon. Gentleman reserved to
himself the power of making these appointments. The
next clause conferred an additional power, for it gars
the body of professors power to appoint teacher.
in Galway, Cork, and other counties in connexion;
with those Universities. But it was said that the tight
Hon. Baronet might, if he saw fit, reconsider tbit*rt Of
the Act in 1848. Now, with respect to that, bethought
that the power of doing so existed in Parliament, and
therefore this reservation was perfectly unnecessary.
He should take that opportunity of saying that a measure
ought to be brought forward for opening the Queen's
College in Dublin to the Roman Catholics. Why ehottici