The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-12-01 00:00:00

ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY-DR. MURRAY.

Under ordinary circumstances it is scarcely fair to com-
ment upon the capricious exercise of a privilege such as
that conferred by the ballot, in the admission of candidates

into societies or clubs; but we take the present case to
be an exception to the general rule—and as our, contem-.
poraries of the government and Roman Catholic press
have not restricted themselves in their condemnatory
observations upon an occurrence that took place yester-
day, in the Dublin,Society, there is no reason why we
should remain silent.
Doctor Murray, the Roman Catholic archbishop of
Dublin, was blackbeaned on a ballot—the numbers be-
ing, for his admission, eighty, against it, sixty-four----
there being present on the occasion one hundred and
forty-four members. This at any season, or under any
circumstances, is a very unusual muster of the Society,
and is illustrative--when the frightful state of the wea-
ther is taken into account—of the vast public import
ance attached to the event.

TO Dublin Society is not, nor ever was, a political
society ; and we believe the only instance on record of
the rejection of any individual, except that at present
under consideration, was in the case of Mr. Daniel
O'Connell.

It is not necessary for us to say, that with the private
life or private transactions of any man we never inter-
fere. Indeed were we so disposed, we do not know a
,single objection, upon personal grounds, that could be
raised to Doctor Murray's admission into any society of
gentlemen, and particularly to one constituted as the
Dublin Society is, and associated for the purposes that first
called it into existence, and sure we are that, had that right
reverend gentleman been ballotted for six months ago,
he would have been admitted without a single dissen-
tient voice.

Why, then, was he yesterday rejected, and by a ma-
jority
so decisive and overwhelming ? Because,
.quoth
the factious press, the society is Orange.
The assertion is untrue. It contains a vast number of
Roman Catholic members, some of whom, we under-
stand, put black beans into the box upon conscientious
grounds7---five gentlemen of that religion were yester-
day admitted ; and amongst the most !active canvassers
for Doctor Murray was a high politician, an apprentice
boy of Derry, and a gentleman holding an independent
situation in the Court of Chancery.
Thus it is pretty clear, if the Society be neither poli-
tical nor religious—if the being a Roman Catholic be
no objection—and there cannot be stronger evidence of
this that five were admitted yesterday—if it be the
fact, and it will not be denied- that there were more than
one canvasser for Doctor 'Murray supposed to be tinged
(tainted, our eotempciraries would say) with Orange poli-
tics—if there was nothing in his private life or character
amounting to a disqualification, and we believe no one
will allege that there was, his rejection under circum-
stances so marked and unequivocal—an event so much
at variance with the usual course of this Society, must be
traced to a much higher cause than that glanced at by any
of our coternporaries.-
We will enlighten them, if they be, as they affect to
be, really ignorant of the cause. We can tell them that
the result of yesterday's ballot was no vindictive mani-
festation of paltry feeling directed against a private in-
dividual—it was the assertion of a great public principle,
on one which educated and thinking Roman Catholics
might join—and we verily believe did join their protest-
ant brethren ; and Dominus Dens, and not Daniel Mur-
ray, was the person excluded from a society of literary
characters and christian men.
It is unnecessary to remind our readers of the part ta-
ken by Doctor Murray in disseminating the atrocious
doctrines contained in the complete theology, or of the
Series of unworthy evasions, by which he has sought
from time to time to get rid of his connexion with. the
work, and the responsibility lie incurred in recommend-
ing its publication. This is the first opportunity that
has been afforded of gathering an expression of pub-
lic opinion in Ireland with respect to Dens and his
patronizer, and our astonishment is, that, upon the
grounds taken, the number of beans against bins were
not doubled in amount. That such would have been the
case there cannot be a question, had not sortie timid and
time-serving persons been frightened for the existence
of the Society, by the threats used by government and
its hangers on, that in the event of the rejection of
Doctor .Murray, the parliamentary grant would be with-
drawn. This is a subject for a .future consideration;
but we can assure the members who have vindicated their I
own characterand honour, and best upheld that of the
Society of which they are members, that there never
was an. act More thoroughly sustained by public opinion
than the decision come to yesterday,

There were fifteen candidates balloted for. Fourteen
.!were admitted--Lone rejected; and the announcement of
the reselt was received.Withont the slightest expression or
tietnoni,4ratiol) on the part of those assembled,Dublin
:Even