New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-29
THE IRISH PROBLEM.


sERArED-vARoUs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS tx
AHMED.
,reoN An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT rIIE TRIBUNE'l
DUBLIN, March l5-Another British Cabinet has
Nen wrecked on the rocks of the Irish Difficulty"
The strongest Government that dealt with Irish
spcstions the Government that did more than all
the Governments that preceded Il 70 abolish the
evils enfailed by conquest and persecution has gone
a the bottom IN sea scarcely rufed by breeze in
scht of land. IN the presence almost Of mutitudes
vino wished ii a prosperous voyage, and would have
aved it. The captain steered the vessel right into
he breakers always caused by the Irish rocks Just
A. If she insured for ten times the amount of
the cargo and he was bribed TO get rid Of her II
there had been little storm. leaving a swell that
made the Irish breakers look more threatening, il
vas a storm of Mr.. Gladstone's own making; and
really never was the death of ships crew more
suicidal.
Mr.. Gladstone may be regarded as the victim OF
his own rhetoric His Ministry died of the Upas
tree This tree The topic of hls powerful ora
tons addressed TO the electors of Lancashire in his
iDerant appeals at the last general election. 1t had
three branches: Protestant Ascendency, Landlord
Oppression, and Educational Disability the latter
being a real religious grievance scandaiOusy
bad The removal Of the Church Establishment,
be wasthe first British statesman who had even the
courage to attempt, or the power TO effect He IN
Others bad tired the kand question. but all had
ANONYMOUSLY failed. None of the pretenders could
bend the bow Of Ulysses Mr. Gladstone did it, az
be had done everything, with ease. To establish
Religious Equality instead of the ascendeney OF
small sect a naton-Of thousands over millions
maintained in virtue of INVASION slaughter. burn
ms desolation, and confscation, and wrought by
axes Of usage and conflict into the framework OF the
CONSTITUENCIES a glorious achievement. To
rescue GO or 70 millions sterling of property belong
ING Of right 10 the tenants from the grasp Of the
landlords who held it iniquitOusly by laws of their
own making, and made II the instrument Of their
political and social domination, a work fully
difficult, scarcely less gloriOus and certainly not
less beneficial 70 the country. Both together these
measures constituted great revolution. putting an
end to system Of injustice entailed by confscation
and persecution and though much mitigated by
previous legislation, still grievousy embIttenng the
relations of social and political LIE
But the third limb Of the upas, the Educational
grievance. though originally the worst part of the
penal code, was greatly exaggerated in Mr.. Glad
stones Imagination. Ii had been from time to time
almost entirety cut away. and the remnant of the
poisonous trunk might have been quietly removed
by carrying cut little further principles already in
operation. The laws passed in the eighteenth cen
tury against the education of Catholics were bad
enough, bat not half perniciOus as the education
provided for them by Primate BOulter and the Irish
Parliament. Nj Froude SAYS that the system of the
Charter schools was the most admirable the world
had till then seen. If so 1t only proves that the
AsceDdency System so diabOlcally vicious that
It's handling turned the best Of blessings into the
worst of curses. From the day that their abomina-
tons were exposed by Howard. the philanthropist.
TIL the withdrawal Of the Government grant early
IN the present century they produced evil only, and
that continually. Though the governors We're
bishops and the masters were clergymeD, Com
mission after Commission Inspector after Inspector,
told the same hOTTd story OF cruelty starvation,
slavery. ignorance, degradation, art. vice. and dis
ease. No reform could be effected Masters might
be dismissed by the score but their successors were
no better than those they suppanted. With few ex-
eeptiOns they al sucoumbed TO the moral plague,
and if abuses were damned for a brief season, the
streams Of corruption broke through with increased
force and more detesable foulness. Even their Sub
Clerical Inspectors were obliged TO acknowledge the
astonishing contrast. physical, intellectual, and
moral presented by the Roman Catholic children ID
the hedgeschOOs and private pay-SchOOs that Hour
ished beside the Government institutions, when the
penal laws were relaxed or repealed. OF all the ex
periments Of English craftsmanship in the Govern
Inent OF Ireland the hateful Charter Schools were
the most signal failure because they violated nature
most outraceously by taking away the children from
their parents and shutting them up IN boarding es
Establishments where there one 70 care for their
bodies OF souls and everything 70 develop and foster
deprayity
But more enlightened views Of a more Christian
spirit began 70 prevail in the early part Of tins cen
tury and a number OF gentlemen Of different de-
nominations including Catholics, founded a society
for the education of the poor IL Ireland. This So
cietv got a Parliamentary grant and from the place
of its meeting il was known The Kudare-st.
Society," There il had Its model schools, its training
schools for teachers and there il issued It's excellent
sohoolbooks maps, DC. Ii required the reading of
the Scriptures by Roman Catholics but they were
allowed to have the DOuay Testament, without note
and comment. With this mixed system the Roman
Catholic prelates were for years cOntented, and
uriests as well as Catholic laymen, worked cordially
with their Protestant eountTymeD. But ii could not
have been regarded as permanently satisfactory be-
cause il was contrary the principles Of the Church
Of Rome 70 allow the laty especially children the
use of the Scriptures without clerical guidance IN
their study The way, however, was prepared for
the establishment by the late Lord Derby, of the
National System which has now tiOurished for
60 years though opposed and mathematical by each
Of the churches in turn. II Is founded on the prn-
ejple of United Secular Education combined with
separate religious instruction. Tins principle was
fully sanctioned by the hierarchy Of that time.
Archbishop Murray was one Of the commissioners,
and worked most harmonlously with Archbishop
Whatey and the other Professionals on the Board TIL
his death. Bishop Deuvir Of Down and Common was
also a commissioner, until the Pope OF DR.. Cullen
compelled him TO retire. The late Primate CroLy
was warm supporter Of the principle OF united edu-
cation. So also was the late Bishop Doyle. Indeed
the National system fully realized all that the HI
erarchy bad demanded, until Cardinal Cullen came
L., o.