The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-06-04
The Education Question.
LETTER FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF ruAM.

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LETTER FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM.
To the Right Hon. VIM Gladstone.
ST. JARLArH's, TUAM, May 10, 1871. :
Sr-lt canuOt excite surprise that L
should address you on the subject of Ca
t,Olic education, one of the most import
ant that can--engage the attention OF o
Catholic prelate, aud on which it has been
my lot to address yourself, as well AZ sew
eral of your distinguished predecessors, on
frequent occasions within the last half
century. Although much remains yet to
be done to bring the subject to just and
successful issue, it has greatly progressed
from the commencement OF that period,
thanks to the experience which has dissi.
pated the confidence that was placed in
the dangerous experiment of mixed educa-
tiOD, and the unanimity brought about by
that experience among the Catholics of
Ireland, in demanding earnestly, perse-
veriDgly, and unQualitedly, the long with
held right of Catholic education, of which
they have been 80 uDjustly and 80 iDju-
riously deprived.
No further federation can be allowed to
those deusive and insulting experiments
by which it has been sought to win the
confidence of the Irish people, and to per-
suade them to acquiesce ia alien and anti
national projects of instruction, instead Of
nobly striving for the goal which the early
historical renown of the Catholic schools
OF Ireland points out to the present as it
does to the past generations. Having in
their comparative weakness conquered the
various temptations by which their fidelity
to their religion has been SO terribly tried,
they will not now, in the enjoy ment of
their triumph, stOOp to EN- brace any prose-
lytisiDg scheme which hitherto they so in
dignanry repudiated. And fuding the
system of the miscalled National Educa-
ton false to it's professions of fairness and
impartiality on the score Of religiods-beli
tue Catholics of Ireland cannot Do content
as long as they are denied the most sacred
of all national rights-that of the educa-
tion of their children in their own creed.
1t is not to any particular denomination OF
school, OF to any particular age of the pupi',
tuis right is to be confined it is to en-
brace all the gradations of teaching, bit
more especially the primary schools attend
ed by the youngest, since the more feeble
the aye the moro need there ia of the fOs-
t ring Care of the Catholic Church and #
those sacred fences of discipline by which
she labors to protect the Innocence of her
children. 1t would then be an anomaly to
abandon the young and tender to all the
dangers of mixed and prOmiscHOus teach
lug, and 10 reserve all tn safeguards of the
Catholic Church for the University alone
or the intermediate schools, when the faith
of the scholars shall have been tainted in
the nnguarded schoOl-room Of mixed
education. The Church, solicitous for the
safety of her children at every age, makes
no such Distinctions, extending her care to
all from infancy through overy stage OF
life.
1t would be greatly conducive to the
| public interest, if English statesmen, in
| stead of wasting their talents and the re-
sources of the empire in abortive educa-
tiunal projects for Ireland, were seriously
to study it's history and ponder on the reso-
lutte attachment OF it's people to Catholic
education, as an obvious aud natural con-
| sequence of their Incorporating attach
ment to the Catholic faith. 1t would spare
| them much superhuous anxiety, and spare
| the Chancellor of the Exchequer the pain
full consciousness Of much Of the publ O
treasury being wasted in useless OF hostile
projects, instead of flowing in channels for
the benefit of che nation. Witness the con-
dition of the GOdless-calied the Queens
Colleges, which all the prestiges of her
Royal title can scarcely save from the
I whitening fate of the Charter schools.
Enough and more than enough has bet n
sacrificed to the spirit of rancorous
bigotry, without any beneficial result cor
responding to the vast expenditure. With
the light of history, and the peculiar tena-
city with which we Irish cling to our an
Gent traditions, to guide you, why adjourn
the great question of education to the next
year, as if it. were with q hope that the
| people could by any influence be diverted
from their resolve to assert their inalien-
able right 10 CACnOllC eduCaIlOu
The Same English statesmen feel. or Of
feet co feel, much surprise at the growing
and wide-spreading demand among tue
Irish people for the restoration OF thell
native Legislature. This demand is SECOND
only to their demand for perfect freedom
aud independence of Catholic edu, att "
from all alien political infuence-or athe
distinct, as both objects are, they are $50
ciated in the minds of many who look fo
, Home Government as a necessary mean
to obtain the blessings of a Catholic edu
, cation, coordinate with the wants ant
t rights of the Irish nation. The longe
: educational justice is denied us, the loude
) and more pressing will be the demand fo
, our own parliament, since there are none
whatever may be their creed or party, VIII
> are not convinced that had we our Iris
3 legislature it is not one university tina
would satisfy our just demands, but, hk
t Scotland aud England, ireland, too, shout
= have an adequate number of universities
s In the dearth of Catholic establishment
f with adequate endowments, under whic
e Ireland labors, aggravated by your ow
| I. al, q, ,1lo