The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-11
THE IRLsR UNIHERSITY EDUCATI0N
~sJ-a' ~stBILL.
THE


On the 18th Of May. Mr.. Butt obtained
leave to bring in his Bill to make better
provision for University Education in lre-
land, and explained its details. 1t was
supported by The O'Conor Don and Cap
tain Nolan, and its Introduction was vas un, ,
served however, his opinion on the merits
Of the scheme, while commenting on the
conspicuous absence from the Opposition
front bench Of "those who formerly took 80
prominent part in this question" We
will not at present go into all the details of
Mr.. Butts proposal. This. however, we
will say, that it is so moderate, that if 1t Is
not accepted by the Government and Par
liament-as it certainly will not be-we DO
not see how any other possible scheme can
have a chance. Mr.. Butts Bill is framed
on the lines of the Irish Act of 1893, which
con tenn plated the future establishment of
second college-a Catholic one-in the
Dublin University. 1t leaves Trinity Col
lege the college for Protestante, abrogating
the statnte abolishing religious tests in
cludes within the University the present
Catholic University as the second college
for Catholics, and provides for the matrico-
lation, as at Oxford and Cambridge, of stu
dents not attached to either college 10
each OF these three classes of students the
prizes and degrees of the University are to
be open. Degrees in general are to be con-
ferred by the University, which will get its
examining staff from the two colleges, but
divinity degrees are to be conferred, not by
the University, but by each college accord
ing to the creed of the recipients. Trinity
College is to be governed by it's Provost
and Fellows, and by Collegiate Council
of its graduates and the new college,
which is to receive a charter by Com INIT
tee of Founders, who will virtually be the
Catholic Hierarchy, and by Collegiate
Council of it's graduates. Lastly, the
University and the new College are to be
endowed out of the surplus of tbeDpises-
tabIished Church fund, the Church Com
mssioners being called upon at once for
G20O 900, aud when f20, 900 more has been
subscribed, as ga proof of the continued
interest of the Catholic population in the
establishment of the new college," for
double the total-E440, 900 more. Such
are the main outlines of the scheme for
which MIR. Butt claims the appreciation of
the Bishops and people Of Ireland, mas
much as he maintains that it satisfies the
requirements laid down in the joint Paste
raj of the Goth of October, 1871, in which
the Bishops spoke as follows "All this
can, we believe, be attained by modifying
the constitution of the Dublin University,
80 as to admit the establishment Of a second
college within it in every respect equal to
Trinity College, and conducted on purely
Cath oiic principles, in which your Bishops
shall have full control in all things regard
ing faith and morals, securing thereby the
spiritual interests of your children, pla-
cling at the came time Catholics on per-
feet equality with Protestsnts as to degrees,
emoluments, or other advantages" The
rock, however, on which Mr.. Butts propo-
sal will split will most probably be the re-
introduction of religious tests into Trinity
College; as all the Liberal Secularists will
for this reason com hine with the Conserva-
tive Ultra Protestants in opposing the Bill.