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‘TRUTH IS POWERFUL, —
VOL.
3W-YORK; SATURDAY, JULY 15,
1826.0)
NOB.
° BRITISH HOUSE Or. COLIZMONS.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION. “
-? ‘ : ji 1 .
«Mr. J, SMITH said that he was extremely anxious to call
the attention of the House to'a petition, which he had for pre-
sentation, from the Catholics of Ireland. ‘The petition was nu-
merously’ signed, it was agreed to at an aggregate mecting, and
it was supposed to represent fairly the opinions of the whole
body’ of the Catholics. In entering into a short detail of the
grievances which ‘the petitioners detailed, he was only ds-
charging a duty’ to’ which he was called, and which was grate-
ful to himself. The’ petitioners stated that the education of the
poor of Ireland of the Catholic communion was not attended
to, Before the time of the Reformation in’ Trelaid, the pro-
perty of the Clergy was in great part applied to the education
and support of the poor. Since that period the property went
into the hands of the Protestant clergy, and the poor derived
no benefit from it.’ He was sorry to find that the petitioners
expressed their dissatisfaction with the recommendation of the
~ Commission, for in his own ‘opinion the Commissioners per-
formed their duty in an excellent’ manner. * But it appeared
that they recommended that Protestants and Catholics should
be educated together.’. ‘The petitioners disapproved of that—
they consulted their Bishops, and they said that if Catholics
* and Protestants were to be educated together, there ‘should be
Catholic assistants as well as books, to be approved by the
tholic Bishops.” The petitioners objected, very properly; in his
epinion, to put any books into the hands ‘of Catholic children,
books as were approved -by their Bishops, and by the
Catholic in general.
ffovernment gave grants of moi
the purposes of education, ‘but that the object
ties was not to educate, but t6 make proselytes. The petition:
ers were not singular in that opinion, Ie himself, for one, was
firmly of opinion that there were societies in Ireland, which,
under pretence of educating the poor, ‘directed all their endéa-
Yours to make proselytes; and he believed that the Kildare.
place Society was not entirely free from that inquutation. He
contended that there was nothing more unjust or more intole-
Yant, than to compel people to read books which they did not
ilike. Mr. S. then called the attention of the House to the tole-
ration that was afforded to dissenting sects under other Go-
‘vernments in Europe, and particularly that of France. | In all
the schools, in which Jews, a class formerly persecuted by all
governments, were admitted—no books were put into their
hands but such as were approved of by the Consistory and
Rabbi, ‘ The principles of common sense, as well as of tolera-
tion, should teach us to assist in the education of the Jrish poor,
in such a way as was not repugnant to, their own feeling. He
was satisfied that there were persons employed by those soci-
ties in Ireland to make converts to the Protestant religion, in
e East, and in the West, and in “all parts. Now, wi bat was
the course these persons pursued ? ‘They began by ii
themselves into the confidence of the poor people, by teaching
them and assisting them in their husbandry works, and having
gained their confiden aod Sympathies, they then assailed
them in point of reli no wonder that the people
Were inclined to distrust these “Missionaries. was most un-
fortunate to the Protestant interest in Ireland that all these cir-
cumstances conspired to alienate the affections of the Irish peo-
ple. Among otber benefits for which the House was indebted
to the Commissioners of Education Inquiry, was the examina-
ton of Captain Gordowi, a man for Whom he entertained high
Tespect. In his examination before the Commissioners, he was
asked if it was the intention of the Society to ‘which he lent his
assistance, to convert the people,
but to teach them veritable Christianity.”
Mon. Member having read another question and answer of
Captain Gordon’s examination, said that practices like these
tended to the disturbance of the public peace’in Jreland; and
the House ought not to vote one shilling of the public money to
those sPeieties, unless they really meant to proselytize the peo-
ple of Ireland, ‘The petitioners, with the greatest anxiety and
earnestness, prayed that the children of different communions
“might not be mixed together in ‘the same schools,
tioners complained most bitterly of the conduct of these soci-
sties in Ireland, and they prayed the House to grant farther
‘upplies of money Yor education in ‘Ireland, only on the condi-
tions stated by their bishops—that was, to each persuasion in
Such shares as seemed fit to the House. From the Report of
: . Edueation Inquiry Commissioners, it appeared that the whole
Number of children receiving. education in-Treland was 560,075.
OF thesé 421,415 were Roman Catholic children, and only
21,068 of them were educated by these societies’ schools, The
Temaining 3 were educated at the expense of their pa-
Tents and | friends; and these were a people, the [ouse was in-
8, 2
Tormed, opposed to education, (Hear, hear,)- The Hon. Mem-,
ar then drew an affecting picture of the state of an uneduca-
led people, and said that the great numbers who came oy
inundate this country: yearly, showed the necessity 0
:
The peti- .
an uneducated people was sure to lead them. : ° He was not dis-
posed to delay the House, but if he had time, he could, from a
paper put into his hands, detail some very curious fact: ne
very curious fact was this—which, was as well anibenticated as
any other historical fact—that the people of England were in-
debted to the people of Ireland for their learning and educa.
tion. This was a well outhent{cated historical fact, and it was
as such he wnentioned i it, The first learning ‘of England was
imparted by the then learned men of Ireland.’ Ie begged leave
ta bring up the Petition, and he recommended it to the attention
of the House, and particularly the Right. Hon. Gentleman
(Mr. Goulburn.) .
Mc. BUTTERWORTH said that the reasoning of the’ pe-
tilidners would equally apply to the disciples of *'Yom Paine.
That House was not authorised to educate the people in doc-
trinés opposed to the Holy Scriptires. This indifference ‘to
the Scriptures was the cause of all theevils of Ireland. It was
not the people of Ireland that was opposed to education—it
was the Priests of Ireland re opposed themselves to the edu-
cation of the people. Had it not been for the meddling’ and
busy interference of, those Priests) education would have made
great progress among the poor in Ireland. Jf the Bible was
to be abandoned, the Cranmers ‘and Latimers were sacrificed
in vain. ~ it, was for this book ‘of truths that they shed their
blood. . The Pyjests complained that they were’ not Able to
educate the poor Catholics from the want of money. But where
were ail their boasts of being able to raise £100 oo a-month? or
of what description was their benevolence, ing the money
in their, hands, they applied it’ otherwise, than ‘ia forwarding
the education of the people?” ‘The Priests say, they labour in-
cessantly, as far as their means will permit, in educating the
poor; but cui bono? They have been at it for ages, and what
good have they done! Compare the state’ of Ireland at this
diay, with that of Scotland—what a volume does the contrast
speak on the subject!! In Scotland, the Bible is the manual of
education. | In Ireland, the Priests’ missal, One country de
velopes a race of men, moral, religious, obedient,’ good citi-
zens, and good subjects—the other a community; w jaw is
an almost systematic violation of all law.’ Could it possibly be
otherwise 7, Darkness will never-enlighten, whereas light can
never mislead.- The sacred Scriptures are the source of light,
exhibiting at once the finest precepts of morality, and incul-
cating the most tender charity, by. fixing our minds upon the
inexhaustible goodness of God. The; recommend vbedience
to temporal laws, and enforce that obedience by the most pow-
erful incentives. ‘That education then, which restsitself upon
this sacred ‘book, must be the best, and no other ought to be
supported, It is monstrous in the Priests, to be asking at the
hands of the State, money for the avowed purpose of dissemi-
nating and upholding a creed <lecried by the State. Much had
been said of proselyting. . He was not ashamed to say that he
was a friend to‘proselytism ! | But why was this proselytism so
much objected to? Was it not the rec ing of persons from
ignorance and barbarism, to truth?. Was there any harm in
this—or could any persons be blamed who laboured for. the
spiritual good of o: He was decidedly opposed to Pot:
ting the Bible, as translated by the Trieste, into the hands of
the Catholic children in Ireland. He did not blush to sa
that in a matter of this moment, he was no advocate for a false
liberality.» No word was more mistaken than this. The ruin
of France was brought about by infidelity, which had its ovi-
gin in Neral . oo all these grounds he was adverse to the
prayer
Mr. WILLLAM. SMITH said that no man in that House dif-
fered more widely from the Roman Catholics than he did,
The exclusive education contended for wes the system of the
Priests before the Reformation, and if it had been acted upon
up to this time, this country ‘would have been still Catholic.
The safest and best way was to leave every person. to the ex
ercise of their religions opinions in their own manner, and let
the state watch over their actions, For his part, $0 great a
friend was he to the dissemination of education amongst the
people of Ireland, that he wotild be glad to see them educate:
in the principles ‘of the Roman Catholic religion rather than
left in total darkness.
Mr. CARUS WILSON declared himself hostile to any sys-
Sen of edneation i in Ireland which was not founded upon the
cripture
“Colonel TRENCH said, he was always slow in detracting
from the ierits of any Fe men whose objects were wu 4 —rw— + tye
doubtedly good. Le was, however, Uound to say of the en | + Thy smiles to beatified Bott—rw—rth deigny
bted! * iu ‘o “lights of the Gentiles”. art thou, Anne, and he, »
thusiasts of Ireland, that their, proceedings were not only Tw all g Fleet-street, and f'other Toadtane! a
injudicious, but mischievous. It was rong policy to with- One hallowing voles ane: a .
hold educatioh from people who had no appetite: for it. leben. Stand forth, man of bibles !—not Mahomet’s pigeon, uf
assured the House, that if the people of Ireland were Pt fed When perch'd on the Koran, he dropp’d there, they say
with wholesome food, they would prey upon gar! The], . Strong rearks ofhis faith ever "shed o'er religion «
reat enemies of. education, in Ireland were the sae sions . Such glory as B—tt—rw—th sheds every day. s
Wer eit not for that roischievous party, which had been agi- -
tating Ireland for two no division would: have existed, | °s 4 great part of the income of Joanna Soathcott atone from’ the Seal
and instead of hatred and hostility, the education of both Ca-
tholics and Protestants would have gone on harmoniously to-
gether, and the maxims of the Christian retigion would have
been eavaily adopted as their common creed,
. FITZGERALD said, that it seemed as if the Hon,
Menber from Dover, anticipating that the petition wow!d have
been couched in violent language, had come down prepared to
indulge in rancorous and’ acrimonious feeling ; but ke must 's
now find how mistaken were his anticipations, for no petition
could be more moderate, or give less room for the hostile feel-. +
ing which that Hon, Member exhibited to-night. If both par-"
ties, Catholics and Protestants, hud been left upon the same .
harmonious footing upon whit they formerly stood, and had
not been interfered with busy intermeddling sect of sec-
tarians, who were spread through the land for the purpose of
detaching families from their ancicnt faith, none of those angry.»
feelings which were pow complained of would have been heard-
Attacks were made on the Catholic Ciergy for their indis-
position to educate their flocks; but he did not hesitate to say
that the Clergy, out of their scanty means, educated a greater
number than the State, with all its exuberént liberality. The © .
sectarians evinced’a dislike of Popery, but he did not know
that their hatred of Popery was not allied ‘to their hatred of
Episcopacy, and ‘that, in. their outrageous geal, while, they
destroyed Popery, they would be as ready to pull down the, ,
Established Church
. Mr. J. SMITH, in reply, said that all the petitioners claimed
was a right which all might be allowed’ to exercise— the;
should be permitted to pat what books they pleased 1 in the
hands of their children for tho purposes of education.
Mr, BUTTERWORTH observed, in explanation, that
though the priesthood might now appear to encourage educa- .
tion, they remained dormant, i ignorance being better suited to
their views, till: they were roused by the efforts of others to,’
educate the Catholic people: but he looked upon their inter- »
ference as mischievous, and the cause of all the angry. feeling , ,
which existed on the subject of education.. In.the discussion ‘
at Carlow, the priests had a signal, known to the mob, upon
exhibiting which, tly rushed upon the scaffold, and put their : ‘
opponents to flight, (Some -Member said, No.) I say. yes, . .
and am ready to prove it. - The Right Hon. Gentleman, Mie
Member from Kerry, alluded to sectarianism, bat for himself .
he would say, that he was a member of the Establishment, and
a friend to Episcopacy. though he was also a friend to other
sects. If the Right Hon, Gentleman wisbed for information
upon Episcopacy, he should apply to the Hon. Member for
Norwich (Mr. W. Smith.) ° mo
Sir J. NEW. PORT said the assertion made “by the Hon. a
Member who had just set down, respecting the condudt of the
Priests at the Carlow meeting, was entirely unfounded. "Cel. \ >>;
Rochfort, who had presided on that day, had contradicted the, .
whole statement in his evidence before a Committee of the -
House of Commons. It was no tenet of the Roman Catholic”
religion to exclude the Bible from the people. » The Catholic
Clergy only objected to circulate without note or comment, .
and in this opinion many of the most dignified members of the >
Established Church coincided.-. They were averse. to the dis-
tribution of the Scriptures, unless accompanied with the ca.
techism for the instruction of the younger classes of the com- .”
munity. It was extremely illiberal and unjust for any indivi-
dual to be attributing to the Roman Catholics principles and _
opinions which they had so often and so solemnly disavowed.
“The petition was ordered to lie on the table,
CANONIZATION OF SAINT BUTTERWORTH,
* “A christian of the best edition."—Rabelais -
Canonize him !—yea, verily, we'll canonize him} ° .8
- . Though cant is his hobby, and meddling his bliss,
: Though sages may pity, and wits may despise him, ©
He'll ne'er make a bit the worse pnt for all ise
“Descend all ye spirits that ever yet spre wee
The domi nuinion nt humbug o’er land mae oversea, +. °°
Descend o&® our B—tt—rw—1th’s biblical head, Loe
» Thrice great ‘piblepalisn, Saint, andM.P.! oo.
Come, shade of Joanna, come down from thy sphere,
-And bring little Shiloh—if’tisn’t too far—
, Such a sight will to B—tt—rw—th’s bosom be dear,
His conceptions and thine being muchonapar. ;
* Nor blush, Saint Joanna, once more to be hold +»
‘A world thou, hast honour’d by cheating 50 many .
Thou'lt find still among us one personage old, :
4 Who also by tricks and the Seals* make a penny,
> Thou too, of the Shakers, divine Mother Leet? .: :
of the LORD's protection which she sold to her follow
} Mrs. Aan Lee, the * chosen vessel” of phe Shakers, ‘and a Mother of ali
the children | of Pegeuers ion.
To in Manchester, where Mother Lee was born. “In her *Ad-
dress to Young Botieverss sho says, that “itis a matter of no importance
detiverance come, whether
from a siable ia Bethteiemy or from Toad‘lane, Manchester.”
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