The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-24

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guilty. Why. then, did not the committee
recommend their expulsion as well as that of
Brooks2 The reason is plain and the coun-
try will understand it. Ames and Brooks we're
made scapegoats for the others, with posi-
BILE chance for the escape Of all. The report
Brooks are expelled it will be wrong which
the American people will not overlook, for the
Others are equally guilty and ought to receive
like punishment If they escape as well as
the others the outrage will be scarcely less
marked. In either event Poland and his asso-
ciates will share the infamy and die with the
curses of their countrymen upon them.
University Reform In Ircland-Anothcr
Blow At Ancient Abuses.
The members of the conservative party in
the British House of Commons, under the lead
ership of Mr.. Disraeli, are determined to array
the Parliamentary opposition in solid phalanx
against Mr.. Gladstone's project for new sys-
tenn of university education in Ireland. They
have not, however, finally decided as to the
most available strategy for the probable &C
complement of their purpose, and, as is
always the case when matters relating to pub
lie education come under discussion, good
deal can be said on both sides of this Irish
university question. English Parliament
ists-Disraeli, Claiborne Hardy and others
have just taken counsel with the representa-
ives of Dublin city, and debated, perhaps de-
termined on, the line of assault most available
tn fhai nm W inf ho on, 10
of vast national importance to Great Britain,
for the reason that the attempt which is to be
made to settle the university question in Ire
land will have generally disturbing effect
and will exercise powerful influence in the
removal Of ancient abuses both in England
and Scotland, as well as in Ireland. The
university system Of Ireland has long been o
standing disgrace to the British government.
The endowment of Maynooth and the establish
ment of the Queens colleges were attempts to
remove the disgrace but Maynooth, which
was bait to the Catholics, and the Queens
colleges, which were meant to be bait equally
to non-pries.ly Catholics, middle-class Protest
ants and Presbyterians failed to satisfy the Irish
people. The demand has always been for
national university but national university
was an impossibility so long as there was an
Established Church, the very existence of
which was an open insult to the sentiments Of
three-fourths of the population of Ireland
Trinity College, Dublin, has from its founda-
ton claimed university rights and priv
leges but from the higher benefits of
Trinity College the great body of the Irish
people have been during very many centuries
shut out by cruel religious test It has
been close. corporation, existing for the
benefit of the Episcopal Church. Itsprofessors
have always been members of that Church, and
no student can win fellowship or take a
degree unless he signs the Thirty-nine Articles.
It was this exclusive character of Trinity
which, in years gone by, sent the Roman
Catholic youth to Douay and the young Pres
byterians of the province of Ulster to Glasgow
and Edinburgh. The Episcopal Church is no
longer the Established Church in Ireland.
An Established Church, in fact, no longer
exists. Now that there is no Church by law
established in the Green Isle, Mr.. Gladstone
has the opportunity of at once removing
grievance and turning Trinity College to
some account Maynooth is for clerical
students only; the Queens colleges do
not satisfy Trinity College, with its
splendid halls and magnificent endowments, is
ON eyesore, and the demand of the Irish
people is for national university. II is
understood to be Mr.. Gladstone's intention to
disconnect Trinity College from the Episcopal
Church, and by the abolition of tests and
otherwise to make it the nucleus Of a univer-
sity system which shall meet the wants of
the whole Irish people, without regard
to religious belief. How to preserve the
Queens colleges, and how to conserve the
rights of the Episcopal Church-which Mr..
Gladstone is bound to do-and at the Same
time make Trinity College the centre Of the
new national university system, are questions
somewhat hard to answer. When accom-
plished it will be q great revolution, and it
will give Ireland O place far ahead of both
Scotland and England in the matter Of educa-
ton. 1t will unquestionably prove most diff
cult task; but Mr.. Gladstone knows how
to carry it through and to secure success.
The alienation of Trinity College from the
Episcopal Church in Ireland will be felt to be
deathblow to Cambridge and Oxford in Eng
land. The tide Of ecclesiastical reform rises
higher and higher. Church and State connec-
ton is doomed the wide world over. It is no
longer a local question or confined to any one
nation. It is as much question in Berlin as
in Rome, and it is not unfair to say that what
has happened and is happening in Ireland
will soon be experienced both in Scotland and
England. Public opinion, enlightened as it
now is by the press, is making short work with
ancient abuses. Right is now finding its
place and truth its opportunity