Year: 1873

the University funds of Trinity College;
partly from the consolidated fund but by
far the greater part from the surplus OF
the DisestabIished Church. The theological
faculty of Trinity College was to be removed
to the control of tho Episcopal Church. Gal
way College was to be abolished This plan
was received at FIRST with singular unanimity
of approval. Both Conservatives and Catho-
lies seemed at the outset to receive 1t as on
the whole moderate and reasonable. 1t Is
said that Archbishop Manning was present in
person in the House of Commons when
the bill was presented, and called 1T
in the main "a just law" 1t looked
for a little while az if the Government
were to have an easy and satisfactory victory
in Parliament which might prove the harbln-
ger of a better understanding in Ireland. But
this promising state of things did not last
long. A violent opposition grew up In Eng
land among the Conservative Church party on
account of the concessions which IT made to
the Catholics, and a still more fervid opposi-
ton deyeloped itself among the latter by
reason of the concessions the bill did not
make Trinity College, which was at hrst
favorable, became rapidly hostile. The Queens
University and every one of the Queens Col
leges showed a violent fermentation against
the measure. The Catholics were not behind
in their opposition. They pronounced the bill
fatal to Catholic education, and their pro-
fessors and students gave an authoritative
voice to this declaration. The Clergy were
virtually unanimous, following the lead OF
Cardinal Cullen, DR.. MacHale, and other great
lights of the Church. in denOuncng the scheme
as a covert attack against the Catholic rell-
gion. Magee College spoke in its favor, but the
voice of its twenty-four students was scarcely
heard in the storm. Throughout Ireland there
seemed no difference of opinion, and In En-
gland the opposition was much more NOISY
and earnest than the support which the meas
ure received Finally organized bodies and
municipalities began to speak out against IT,,
and on last Monday the Corporation OF the
City of Dublin passed resolutions of strong
condemnation.


The matter was considered, as are all mat
ters which turn upon the unhappy relations
between Ireland and England, without much
reference to the practical requirements of the
occasion The principle of the bill, as 1t was
announced from an authoritative quarter, was
the admission of denominational colleges within
the fold of the national University; permitting
students educated in Catholic colleges to be-
come matriculated members of a national Uni
versity, to compete for its prizes, and to be
received among its graduates. This seemed to
the Government, as it will seem to many
others, substantial and reasonable cOnces-
sion 1t appeared to the Catholics as no con-
cesson at all, and to the EpiscOpalian partisans
as a concession beyond reason. The result
was the loss of the bill and the defeat OF
the Ministry. Whatever might have been
the apathy displayed in the first weeks of the
discussion, there was none at its close. The
debate must have been very spirited, as forty
members Joined in it. The House was unusu-
ally full, as the vote shows, the "Whips" on
both sides having displayed great activity.
The political character of the opposition Is
clearly manifest, every Conservative vote being
cast against it, FOrtyseyen Liberal members,
of whom thirty were IriSh voted against
the Government, and thus caused its defeat.
In the face of SO decisive a check 1t
was not possible for the Ministry to
remain in power, without an appeal
to the country; and Mr.. Gladstone has
doubtless acted wisely in preferrlng to
give I'D the Government into the hands OF the
Conservative opposition which has defeated
him. He will leave them the decision of
one of the thOrniest questions which has
ever embarrassed the craftsmanship of
England The subject of education In Ireland,
thus reused, cannot now be suffered to drop.
If MIR. Disraeli assumes the Premiership, he
will do it under the implied pledge that he
can arrive at a solution of the matter which
will be satisfactory to the Parliament and the
country 1t is not impossible that he may ac-
compsh this. He Overthrew a Liberal Gov
ernment few years ago, and established him
self firmly in place by arranging a scheme of
electoral reform more sweeping than any the
Liberals had proposed, and carrying it tri-
umphantly through Parliament. If it is re-
served to him to accomplish a plan for the
reform of the universities and colleges of Ire
land which shall harmonic the interests of
education with those of civil and ecclesiasti-
cal freedom, it would form most enviable
termination to a singularly successful public
life.