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

what he thought the best and most salutary to maintain, in
accordance with the state of the institutions and opinions
of the people of this country. He did not wish to go into
any controversy on his own opinions, or discuss what im-
portance they bore in his own eyes, or the consequences
to which they might lead ; but he felt bound to state
that he thought the measures contemplated involved
material departure from them. Whenever those mea-
sures should come under the consideration 'of the House,
he should apply himself to them without any selfish re-
gard for mere consistency, and with the single view of
arriving at such a conclusion as, on the whole, the in-
terests of the country seemed to require. But it was one
thing to discharge that duty for oneself, and quite ano-
ther thing, after what he bad declared would have
been right, to be a party, as a Minister of the
Crown, to the recommendation of such a change.
He would not detain the HouSe• by explaining to them
how difficult it was to form a correct judgment upon
matters involving so many considerations, drawn from so
many opposite quarters, yet he felt it his duty, in re-
turn for that public confidence which had been vested in
him, to explain wily he was no longer a member of her
Majesty's Government. Upon subjects which he under-
stood it was the intention of the Government to bring
forward, he thought it would be right to place himself in
a position in which he could exercise a free and unfet-
tered judgment, and, as far as might be, an unsuspected
judgment. On that account he had taken a course most
painful to his feelings, and separated himself from men
with whom, and under whom, lie had long acted in
public life, and of whom, he was bound to say,
although he had no longer the honour of serving his Most
Gracious Sovereign in association with them, that he
continued to regard them with unchanged sentiments
both of public regard and private attachment. He had
now stated as much as was necessary to prevent any
erroneous impressions, to discharge himself from that
responsibility which devolved upon him, and at the same
time had taken pains to limit his observations, so that
premature discussion upon those topics might not ensue.
They all knew that the subject of the Roman Catholic
Church in Ireland, the College of Maynooth,-and things
immediately connected with it, were regarded with very
sensitive feelings by the people of this country. In ad-
verting to these things, he felt it his duty at the same
moment distinctly to state that he was not prepared to
take part in any religious warfare against the measures
which his Right Hon. Friend might propose. He could
understand the principles on which her Majesty's Go-
vernment acted ; and he had even ventured to vindicate
the principles on which a Christian State allies itself, for
religious purposes, with a Christian Church ; but as
men's minds had become more liberal, and as political
opinions and parties had undergone so much modifica-
tion, he felt himself bound frankly to state that he could
not undertake to draw distinctions unfavourable to his
Roman Catholic fellow subjects in Ireland, but trusted,
with a fervent hope, that they would be regarded by the
Government with the same favourable sentiments as
members of any other profession of Christianity. He did
not wish to say anything that might prejudge the question
but would consider it fully and calmly when it was
brought under the notice of the House. He would, how-
ever, again distinctly state, that he was not prepared to
take part in any religious warfare against a measure
such as it was anticipi ted might be introduced, nor to
draw distinctions between Roman Catholics, on the one
hand, and other classes of his fellow Christians, on the
other.--(Bear, hear, from the Opposition.) It was un-
necessary for him further to detail his views to the
House. He would reserve his own judgment on this,
as on other matters. He was far from attributing any
blame to his Right Hon. Friend at the head of the Go-
vernment or any other member of it, for any dereliction or
inconsistency in the measures about to be brought under
the notice of the House, as far as he was apprised of
them ; and he had only to conclude by thanking the
House for the attention with which they had listened to
him whilst he made explanations which recent events
and public duty rendered necessary.—(Cheers.)
_ Sir ROBER I' PEEL then rose amid profound silence
and addressed the House as follows :—Sir, I feel confi-
dent that this House will show a generous regard for the
strength of private feelings and personal esteem by bear-
ing with me while I allude to my Right lion. Friend,
instead of commencing by adverting to subjects of deep
interest, which have been intt educed in the course of this
discussion. The subject which has been brought under
the notice of the House by my Right Hon. Friend is one
of deep interest to myself and to my colleagues. For
the abilities of my Right Hon. Friend I entertain the
highest admiration—an admiration only equalled by my
respect for his private virtues.—(Loud cries of " Hear,
hear," and cheers from both sides of the House.) I con-
firm, in every respect, the statement made by my Right
Hon. Friend. My Right Hon. Friend did intimate at a
very early period to his colleagues that it would:be im-
possible for him to co• operate with them as a Member of
the Government, and with the responsibility and entire
participation ehich that station implies, in the measures
which the) had in contemplation with regard to educa-
tion. If my Right Hon. Friend did not :immediately
press his resignation, I am entirely responsible, being
unwilling to the latest moment of forfeiting the advan-
tages of a colleague who was capable of rendering such
eminent services to the country, and who was so distin-
guished an ornament of this House. In order to pre-
vent all misapprehension, I think it right to state
that my Right Hon. Friend did not resign on
account of any question of commercial policy.
For the three years that I have been connected officially
with my Right Hon. Friend, and during which we have
introduced several measures connected with finance and
commerce, I feel it my duty openly to avow that it was
impossible that any men could act together with so little
divergence of opinion between them. My Right Hon.
Friend, being no :longer a Member of the Government,
felt himself precluded, by motives of delicacy, from ex-
plaining the nature of those measures which the Govern-
ment have in contemplation, but as I am not precluded
by any such motives, I think it better distinctly to state
the cause of the difference of opinion between us.
I am sure the House will recollect that on the motion
of the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Wyse) last session
that I, as the organ of the Government, conveyed an
intention on the part of the Government regarding the
education of the Irish people to this effect—that the
Government would, during the recess, apply themselves
to the great question of academical education
in Ireland. I admitted that looking to the
population—looking to the state of that country with
respect to Universities—looking to the state of Scotland,
with respect to the opportunities there for academical
education—and seeing that England had the great Uni-
versities of Oxford and Cambridge, and that in the metro-
polis another University bad been recently established
—seeing that in Scotland there were not less than five
Universities affording opportunities for academical edu-
cation—looking to the state of Ireland, with only one
in that country, with the exception of the Belfast Insti-
tution, I was disposed to admit, that in Ireland there
were not the same facilities for academical education that
existed elsewhere.— (Hear, hear.) I did not make that
statement to escape from any temporary difficulty. I
made that statement with the full intention of fulfilling
any pledge or engagement I might make or imply. I
I do not shrink from those declarations.—(Hear, hear.)
lam prepared to the full extent to fulfil them. We have
considered the question, and at an early period of the
present session, will lay before Parliament a measure
giving increased facilities for academical education in
Ireland, and open to all classes of her Majesty's subjects
in that vountry.—(Hear,
hear, from the Opposition.)
I stated also, with reference to that particular grant, to
which, as my Right Hon. Friend states fairly, much re-
ligious excitement- attaches—l say that at the close of
the last session, notwithstanding the feelings with which
this grant is considered by a large body in this country,
I did not shrink from declaring that among other
institutions connected with academical institutions, the
state of the College of Maynooth would be brought
under the consideration of Parliament. We intend to
make a proposal to the Home, and I will frankly state
on this, the first day of the session, that it is our inten-
tion to propose to Parliament a liberal increase of the
vote for the College of Maynooth.—(Hear, hear, from
the Opposition.) When I was on the' Opposition
benches a motion was made for the purpose of taking
from the College of Maynooth the allowance which has
been annually granted. I stated theu, it is some years
ago, that it appeared to me that an engagement had been
entered into by the Irish Parliament, which was exclu-
sively Protestant,. to provide domestic education for the
ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church. I said I
did not think that engagement was fulfilled by a
merely nominal vote. The engagement was to sup-
ply the wants of ecclesiastical education, by the
foundation of colleges for education. In that country
the population has increased ; and such being the case,
and the means of foreign education having been dimi-
nished, I say we are only acting in accordance with the
implied and honourable engagements of the Irish Parlia-
ment, in supplying increased funds for the education of
the ecclesiastics of that country. But I will also state that
we do not intend to accompany that increased vote by
any regulations with respect to doctrine or discipline of
that Church, which can diminish the grace and favour of
that grant.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," from the Op-
position.) I rejoice in having this opportunity at the
commencement of the session, for making frankly this
declaration, because there is no subject by which reli-
eanyt be more easily excited. I refer
of the Right Honourable Gen-
gtoioutshe feelingreti rem m
Gen-
tleman in proof of the sacrifice which we have
made, by the danger to which I may possibly
expose my colleagues, by the apprehensions which
may be created among a large and sensitive class,
notwithstanding the endeavours of my Right Hon.
Friend to prevent it. I may, I ray, refer to this as a
conclusive proof of the disposition of the Government on
this subject. The Right Hon. Baronet adverted to the
insinuations which had been thrown out by the Noble
Lord (Lord J. Russell), who could not resist the oppor-
tunity of taking a petty party advantage of the seces-
sion of his Right Hon. Friend, and attempting to poison
the minds of the Irish people, and diminish the grace
and favour of those projected measures. The Right
Hou. Baronet adverted to the Catholic Bequests Bill,
which he said had been introduced without compulsion,
or even suggestion, by the Government, who had no
other slew than to improve the condition of Catholic
charities in Ireland. They had appointed those distin-
guished and amiable Catholic prelates, and did not at all
interfere with the appointment of Secretary to the Commis-
sion. Who could wonder that feelings of national animosity
were cherished by the people of Ireland, when a gentle-
man, of the Noble Lord's position, repeated such ex-
pressions as " surpliced ruffians," which he (Sir R. Peel)
deeied most positively had ever been used or countenanced
by himself, or any of his colleagues. Tile Right Hon.
Baronet complimented, in a marked manner, the mover
of the address, who, he hoped, would frequently dis-
play to the House the talents and discretion of which he
had given so distinguished a proof on that night. Also
the seconder (Mr. Baring), who, he trusted, would
frequently inform the House upon those commercial
affairs with which he was so intimately conversant.
He repudiated the " small insinuation. " of the
Noble Lord, which wholly arose from party feeling.
lie rather thought that the Noble Lord's temper was
disturbed by the contrast of her Majesty's speech that