Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-08-11

THE AMERICAN DELEGATES.
for their success, decided to do some
thing for the advancement of the arts.
In pursuance of this idea the soldiers
raised the-for those times-large sum
Of 81. 500 and presented it to Trinity for
the purchase of books Then one James
Usher and a DR.. Chaloner were in
trusted with the mission of proceeding
to London in the capacity of book buy
ers. There they met Sir Thomas Bod
ley, who was engaged in the same task
for Oxford university, and friendly in
tercourse was maintained between him
and the Irishmen. The foundation Of
both Trinity college and the Bodleian
libraries the two most superb monu-
ments of learning in the empire. thus
simultaneously occurred.
Some years ago, il may be mentioned,
the Dublin newspapers began an agita-
ton for the return 10 Trinity's library
of one of the greatest treasures--the
Illuminated Celtic manuscripts known
as the Book of Kells-which had been
mysteriously deported to the south
kensington museum at London "as
loan" 1t was claimed that this antiq-
uity was intended To be kept at South
kensington permanently, but the agi-
tation for its restoration to where it BE-
longed resulted successfully.
In 16l4 Trinity college began 70 send
two representatives to the Irish parlia-
ment, a scheme which originated in the
brain OF James l., who thereby sought
To obtain a borough interest in Irish
politics. From hence dates the first at
tempt to make political capital ont of
the university as an institution OF learn
ing This innovation was received at
the time with considerable hostile crit
icism, on the ground that a college
should not be invaded by the disturbing
elements Of political joS11usies and tur-
mVil. At the present day Trinity con-
tinucs to return two members to the
imperial house Of commons, these be-
ing elected 10y the fellows and the schol-
arS in course of graduation, who hold a
special voting franchise for the purpose.
From about this date up to the year
1857 the college board consisted of seven
fellows who nominated grade of asso-
eiate fellows tn fill sudden vacancies.
The associate fellows began to create
constant disputes over their assumed
rights and privileges, until, at length,
the college charter was surrendered to
the king, who granted a new one, with
statutes framed by Archbishop Laud
and modelled ON the code of Cambridge
university. The new charter reserved
the appointment Of the provost to the
crown and made the Office one Of OPP
tional life tenure; while the board con-
sisted of sixteen fellows-seven of
senior and nine of junior grade. The
capacity of the senior fellows was to
govern the college and that of the
junior 10 act as instructors. Vacancies
in both grades were to be filed by the
provost and seven fellows The king
was to make the laws, except in such
cases as the charter did not provide for,
when the provost and seniors might
act, their enactments being legal if APP
proved of by the board of visitors. The
latter was also reconstructed the lord
mayor of Dublin being dropped from its
personnel a course which was consid-
cred very ungrateful on the part Of
the crown, considering that the very
lands on which the college stood had
been donated by the Dublin corpora
ton.
During the time of Cromwell Arch
bishop Usher was forced for political
causes to flee from Ireland. and his
splendid library of ten thousand vol
umes was added To the college collec-
ton. After the restoration Charles II.
deposed the Puritan nominees Of the
commonwealth whom the lord pro-
tector, Cromwell, had placed on the
university board, and their places were
filled by men from Oxford and Cam
bridge DR. Steele, famous Dublin
savant, became provost
The good. humane and progressive
/ duke Of Ormond was now lord lieutenant
+ of Ireland and he carried out his consist
ent policy Of ireland for the Irish bv APP
/ pointing Jeremy Taylor vice chancellor
of the university. Il was Of him that
Bishop Heber said that his first sermon
before the college was the finest he had
ever heard
Dark days fell upon Trinity college
when James II, came To the throne.
The bigoted nature Of the king made
him regard the university with distrust,
Tor It always was and is to-day strong
~ Protestant institution. Lord Tyrcon-
mel was viceroy and he made every eff
fort TO overthrow the university. He
first withheld the payment Of the GRAFT,