The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-15

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY IN IRELAND -PUmIc
MEETING-SPLEcH OF ARCHBISHOP HuGHEs-It
will be seen by reference to another column, that
meeting ofthe Catholics of New York and Brooklyn
Is called at the Hall of the Stuyvesant Insti
tute for Tuesday evening NEXT the 18th instant for
the purpose of extending sympathy and support
to the Catholics Of ireland in their struggle
to establish q Catholic University. Arch bishop
Hughes will address the meeting, and will be sure
to draw crowded audience.
This meeting presents a twofold interest-frst,
the object is good and laudable one; and secondly,
the Archbishop will probably reply to the attacks
OF the socialists and red republicans In reference to
his speech In Liverpool, and his sermon in this
city We have no doubt that he will give salts
factory explanation, and that his logical acumen
will speedily demoliih the phalanx. 1t will there
fore be one Of the most interesting meetings that
has taken place for q long time.
A word as to tine project itself There are two
grounds on which il deserves The aid Of the Ame "a
can people In the first place, the Irish Catholics
have q right to q Catholic University. Ireland
the seat oflearning, to which men Of other
countries repaired for q high education; aud this
was before Catholicism and English rule found
their way into the island The dominant sect not
only took possession Of the seats Of science and
literature, excluding all Catholics from their pre-
cincts, but made it penal offence that Catholics
should educate themselves. These penal laws
gave way before the spirit Of the age, and
while the humber classes Of Catholics might edo
cate their children il they were able or send them
10 the national schools, the Weather classes, or
the micdle classes, who aspired TO distinction and
fame for themselves or their offspring, we're rsdy
excluded from the scholarships and fsllowships Of
"the silen. sister,, the only University in Ireland,
though endowed at the expense Of the state, aud
maintained by the money Of Catholics as we'll as
Protestsnts. To meet this crying grievance, the
portals Of Trinity College were not opened to ALL az
they ought to have been, but provincial colleges
were established as a =" sop to Cerberus," during
the repeal agitation, when the English government
became frightened; but these gifts not only came
In questionable shape, but involved objections on
religious grounds, which prevented Catholics fron
freely availng themselves Of the education they Of
fered The result is the starting Of the idea Of a
Catholic University, which, though not so god as
that Of University common and open to all de-
nomin stions Of Christians, is still the best thing
that can be done under the circumstances and he
Catholics Of Ireland have undoubted right to
prosecute their object to completion. IL is only
fair play.
But there is another point Of view in shloh such
an Institution is important ignorance was tie
means used by the copquerors to keep the coun, ry
in se1vile subsection. By education and learning,
ignorance is put to fight the sha lows Of night
by the rays Of tho morning sun, and it is utterly
impossible to keep people long in bondage, who
know enough to free themselves from the yoke Of
the oppressor The general diffusion Of knowledge
throughout Ireland, is the surest means Of her
dcliverancc- the FIRST step in the path to freedom
And there is no people on tho face Of the globe,
who 20 ardently desire the di'enthraiment Of that
wrotchsd country, a. the people Of the United
states Their assistance may, therefore, be couat.
ed anon in furtheriDg this object, when.s brought
before then in i,s proper light