Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-18
THE GLADSTONE DEFEAT.

THE GLADSTONE DEr Ehh'
The Irish Educational Bill, called the
Piece dc Resistance, WAS the rock on
which the Gladstone cabinet struck and
foundered. Mr.. Gladstone is political
trimmer who, with considerable ingenu-
ity, invented an educational bill for
seculariziug university education with
out giving offence to Proiesiants or CIV
ing umbrage to Catholics. His plan was
n university embracing several existing
colleges in Ireland, Catholic and Pro-
testant, wherein the university faculty
proper should teach nothing mot even
ethics, metaphysics or modern history
which has the remotest bearing on eccle-
siastical questions, but leaving the sepa-
rate colleges TO follow freely their Pro
testant or Catholic bias. The history OF
the struggle is curieus enough to attract
the attention Of Americans, as it exhibits
a phase of political and religious war
fare unknown in this country. For
twenty-three years the Irish Roman
Catholics have been asking for equality
in university education" In 1865 the
O'Donoghue moved an address TO the
Queen, representing that conscientious
objections to the present system OF uni
yersity education in ireland prevent
large number of Her Majesty subjects
from enjoying the advantages of universe
ty education, and praying that such steps
be taken as will remedy the grievance.
Tn June, 1866, Cardinal Cullen sent
memorial to the government setting forth
the endowments and strictly Protestant
character of Trinity College, declaring
that the Queens colleges had failed,
as the majority of their students, instead
of being Catholics, were Professionals;
recounting the establishment OF the
Catholic University in Dublin by the
bishops, and claiming for it the recogni-
ton of its degrees; and adding: With
out rearranging the Queens colleges on
the denominational system, so as to
meet the conscientious objections Of
Catholics, much of the evils and injus-
tice of which Catholics complain Of will |
remain unredressed. These colleges will
continue to be a standing cause of dis
union between the Catholic bishops of
ireland and the government of the
country, which policy, not to speak
Of any other consideration, would put an
end to. With our Catholic University
unendowed and with other university
arrangements still hostile to US, the pro-
posal of the Government could not, we
respectfully repeat, be regarded as salts
factory TO the Catholics of Ireland.
Still they were willing to cooperate, as
Stunning that the new scheme will pro
vide that the university founded by the
Roman Catholic bishops will be char
tered as college within the new univer-
sity in such a manner as to leave the
department of teaching Catholics alto
gether in the hands of Catholics and
under the control Of their bishops, its
founders" 1t will be remembered that
the fellowships and scholarships of Trim
ity College are exclusively appropriated
TO Protestants, and Catholics are ex-
cluded from these benefits. A demand
for a Catholic University for the Irish
people was made on the one hand; while
on the other, bitter speeches we're made
against making any concessions to the
Roman Catholic hierarchy Of Ireland.
The struggle went on from 1865 to 1873,
when the royal speech was made,
stating that the educational measure
which will be submitted to Parlia-
ment will be framed with careful re-
gard to the rights Of conscience. But, un-
happily, the Protestant conscience is one
thing and the Catholic conscience is an
other and Mr. Gladstone failed to make
both agree. The object of the educational
bill was really to pacily ireland and con-
ciliate the Catholics; but instead of en- !
lowing the Catholic colleges-which
would have been satisfactory in Ireland I
the Gladstone bill was introduced as a
1t, however, displeased 1
10Th Catholics and Protestants, and was {
denounced by each and reused every '
body into strenuous opposition, which
in the defeat Of the Ministry. I
10 the American all this sounds strange
enough, as it develops the paradex-thai
creates fatal opposition.
But the fact is, that no measure intro
laced into the English Parliament will
ireland, save that which de-
,lares her free and independent This
is the key to the mystery Of Irish poll
lies. aud the only one that will open the
Pandora box Of English rule or mis-
rule.
ST. ANDREW Of Scotland, though a real 4