Year: 1866

dress myself to the question whether proyi


sion should be made by the State for eths


Roman Catholic clergy of ireland.


| The Roman Catholic Clergy have seen q


measure passed by which those Of their faith


are now permitted to take seats in Parlia-


ment and hold offices under the crown; and
they have seen that measure carried inde-
| pendently of any provision 80 the Roman


Catholic clergy. They can have no such


motive, therefore to induce them to accept


such provision, as desire to secure greater
! privileges for Roman Catholic lay subjects.


But there are other obstacles IN the way OF


making provision for the Roman Catholic


clergy. We have among US some who are


OF opinion that the ecclesiastical endowments


On the part Of the state are wrong; and the


proposal to make provision for the Roman


Catholic clergy could not be discussed in


Parliament without exciting much religious


animosity. And what is the disposition Of


the Roman Catholic clergy at this time


Their disposition is the same as was des-


cribed in my hearing by Archbishop Murray


long ago, and repeated since in more enn-


phatic terms. They desire 70 remain entirely


free from connection with the State It is


not for me to say whether they were right or


wrong in that opinion. One thing, think,


is tolerably certain, and that is, that the in


iluence of the Roman Catholic clergy over
their focks would be diminished rather than
increased by such a grant, and as there are
no persons more attached to their religious
principles than are the Roman Catholics, the
priesthood naturally desire te retain as much
as possible the influence which they exercise
upon the lay members of their body.


Let US look for minute, for instance, at
what has already happened, and what, in
deed, is even now taking place The noble
lord says, and says with truth, that both in
1S4S, and at the present time, during this
Fenian agitation, the Roman Catholic cler-
gymen have employed their influence in re-
slraining their hocks from joining in the
delusions which have been SO rife about
them, and that their influence has been
exerted to promote order and law, and to pre-
serve the tranquility of the country, while
those engaged in these conspiracies have
been so anxious to destroy it. But if the
Roman Catholic clergy were in receipt of
stipends from the state, ii is obvious that this
aid would be made the subject of reproach
by the Fenians and those attached to their
cause, and that their efforts for the promo
tion of peace and order and their warnings
against the dangers of the delusion to which
so many have given way, would lose much of
their power. | believe that it would be most
on the part of any government
in the present day to propose such grant,
when we consider not only the disposition of
the Protestants to make such a grant, but
when we also consider the disposition of the
Roman Catholics themselves.


. Tho Marouia of CIonr ,.aoaffad fbof
the head of the government had put SO de-
cided a negative upon the proposal, and pro-
ceeded to discuss the policy of having an
Established Church in Ireland at all. In his
view it was a monstrous anomaly that no
provisions was made for the Roman Catho-
lie in Ireland, when ample provisions was
made for the Protestant portion Of the COM
nunity. Considering the discomfort which |
prevailed in Ireland, andthe agitation which |
had recently sprung up there, he was GER |
,ainly disappointed at finding that ministers |
aad nothing in contemplation for the i'm |
of the condition of the country.


Earl Grey was convinced that the time for
making this proposal had gone by, and gave
lotice that on Friday, the 9th of March, he
hOuld move for a committee of the whole
House to consider the state of Ireland and,
the motion were agreed to, that he should |
hen propose resolutions expressing his view
If the measures required to be taken.


Lord Dunsany had no doubt that the dis
abstraction of the priests at having to depend
or their stipends upon the offerings of the
,oorest class of the population did influence
heir preaching, and as long as they were
dissatisfied long would their focks be also.
n his opinion an offer of payment should
e made to the Roman Catholic clergy then,
7hether they accepted it or not, England
7ould have done all that could be expected
{ hnr -