to oppose the grant to the National Board. It would not be denied that a Board presided over by commissioners of high rank and position and administering funds to the amount of 325,000l. a year conferred a great amount of good upon the country. Yet he, and those who thought with him, had some reason to complain that a favour was granted to one portion of the population which was denied to another. The Protestant clergy of Ireland were not able, on conscientious grounds, to partake of this grant, and he concurred in their objection. They were bound to instruct their flocks in the Holy Scriptures, and many of them, being men of straitened means, deprived themselves of the comforts of life to support their schools, which ought to receive a portion of this grant. The Protestants of Ireland could not accede to the present system, and the House ought to take such measures as would give them an opportunity of sharing this grant. He could not concur in the grant of 2000l. to the teachers in convent schools. In the county of Cork there were nineteen of these convent schools. One of the Commissioners (he did not know whether he was a Commissioner at the present moment) was strongly opposed to the transfer of popular education to monastic teachers, and another high authority, Mr. Sheridan, stated that in the Killarney district no day school by lay teachers would be tolerated. It happened, however, that a considerable number of Roman Catholics could not be induced to send their children to convent schools, and when the lay schools were abolished they could get no education at all.

Mr. Monsell said the difference between the National Board and the Church Education Society was, that the former did not force any child to receive religious instruction to which its parents objected, while the Church Education Society denied the benefit of its secular instruction to all children whose parents would not consent to their receiving religious instruction. There were now 15,000 Roman Catholic children in those schools receiving religious instruction from persons not of their own persuasion. He protested against such a system, believing that the first principle of public education in Ireland should be the absence of all attempts at proselytism.

Mr. Cardwell observed that the two rules governing the national system in Ireland were plain. One was that in school hours the teaching should be of such a character that all Christians might partake of it; and the other rule was that when religious teaching of a peculiar character was given, children whose parents objected should not be compelled to attend. If the schools to which Mr. Whiteside had referred would conform to those simple rules, they could receive the benefits of the public grant; but, if they did not, then no amount of eloquence or mystification would entitle them to those advantages.

Mr. P. Hennessy thought that Ireland ought to be treated like England, where grants were given to the denominational schools. When the clergy of the Established Church in Ireland and the

Catholic clergy were both opposed to the present system, it was strange that Government should take no steps to meet the wishes of those two great bodies.

Mr. Dawson thought it would be most unfortunate if these grants became denominational. Such a change would destroy the whole system of education in Ireland-a system which was gaining on the confidence and affection of the people, and which was likely to be of great advantage to the country. He trusted it would go forth that there was in this House a general concurrence as to the value of the existing system, and that the wish to disturb it was only shared by a small minority.

Ultimately the vote as proposed by Sir R. Peel was agreed to. A more important discussion relative to education in Ireland as affecting a higher class of students was raised by the O'Donoghue, who, shortly before the end of the Session, moved an address to the Crown representing to Her Majesty that conscientious objections to the present system of University education in Ireland prevented a large number of Her Majesty's subjects from enjoying the advantages of University education, and praying that such steps may be taken as would remove this grievance. If he proved, he said, the existence of such conscientious objections on the part of Roman Catholics in Ireland, and that such objections had the effect of excluding them from the advantages of University education, he proved the existence of a great grievance, which it must be the desire of the House to see removed. He proceeded to establish his first proposition by showing that the number of Catholics availing themselves of University education in Ireland was very small compared with that of Protestants, and that the disproportion was likely to increase. The remedy was simple; let a charter with the power of conferring degrees, and a charter of incorporation, be granted to a Catholic University. In the name of the Catholics of Ireland, in the name of justice, he asked the House to remove these educational disabilities from so large a portion of their fellow-subjects.

A debate of considerable interest ensued, which elicited important declarations from the Government. Sir G. Grey, premising that the Roman Catholics of Ireland were entitled to have their case fairly considered, observed that, since the establishment of the Queen's Colleges in Ireland, and their erection into a University, degrees might be obtained by Roman Catholics who had studied either at Trinity College, Dublin, or at one or other of the Queen's Colleges; so that, in the existing state of the law, it was a question whether it could be said that any Roman Catholic in Ireland was debarred from obtaining a degree. In England, at the London University, there was a system of perfect equality, and he saw no reason why there should not be a similar system in Ireland. An exclusively Roman Catholic University, with the power of granting degrees, would not meet the inconvenience to the fullest extent, and would be open to objections; but

the object might be obtained by the enlargement of the power of the Queen's University in Ireland, so as to remove restrictions, and, admitting that the Roman Catholics had ground of complaint, if the matter were left in the hands of the Government, they would undertake to consider the subject.

Mr. Whiteside, in a speech of considerable length, opposed the motion, arguing that the effect of establishing a Roman Catholic University would be to overthrow the policy upon which the Queen's Colleges were founded; that its object was to separate the youth of the country into two classes, and to put an end to mixed education in Ireland.

Mr. Monsell showed the practical working of the present system of University education in Ireland, which, he contended, had failed in its object. He approved the suggestion of Sir G. Grey.

Mr. Hennessy supported the motion, considering that the compromise offered by Sir G. Grey would not satisfy the Irish Catholic Bishops or the great body of the Catholics of Ireland.

Lord Dunkellin thought the compromise fairly met the conscientious objections of Roman Catholics.

Mr. O'Reilly held that, although education ought to be denominational, the test of education need not be so. He should prefer a Roman Catholic University; at the same time he thought a strong case was made out for the proposal sketched by Sir G. Grey, which he approved, on certain conditions.

Mr. Newdegate apprehended that, unless great care was taken in the organization of the new University, the same principle of exclusion practised at Maynooth would prevail there. He deprecated the giving facilities to the education of the youth of Ireland in the intolerant principles of the Church of Rome.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer disclaimed, on the part of the Government, the intention imputed to them, of founding a Roman Catholic University. Their intention was merely to remove certain civil disabilities under which the Catholics laboured in the matter of University education. It would, he said, be repugnant to the wish and design of the Government if it were supposed that, by acceding to the motion, they expressed any change of policy as to the Queen's Colleges. The O'Donoghue had refused, on the part of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, to be content with any thing short of an exclusive Roman Catholic University; but other Roman Catholic Members had accepted the proffer of the Government, and this would afford encouragement to them to proceed in their plan. He enumerated the reasons which had led the Government not to accede to the proposal to establish an exclusively Roman Catholic University, observing at the same time that it would not be right, on account of any possible injury to the Queen's Colleges, to refuse to remove the admitted disabilities of Catholics. The Queen's Colleges were intended for the people of Ireland, not the people of Ireland for the Colleges.

Mr. Henley observed that the admission which had been made

on behalf of Her Majesty's Government was thoroughly in favour of denominational education as opposed to mixed education, which meant, in fact, education without religion. The time was certainly approaching, although he could scarcely hope that he should live to see it, when the system of mixed education would be altogether swept away, and denominational education substituted for it. It was every man's natural wish that his children should be brought up in the religion that he believed to be right, and not that they should acquire mere learning, unsupported by those religious principles which would render their education useful to themselves and to their fellow-creatures. Experience had shown that the "godless" system was a failure, except in one instance in the north of Ireland, and in that instance, through the Catholic element withdrawing itself, the mixed college had become a Presbyterian, and, therefore, a denominational college. Having a strong opinion in favour of denominational education, he was glad to see that Government intended to do away with the present system of godless education.

Other Members, chiefly those from Ireland, expressed satisfaction at the intentions intimated by the Government; and the O'Donoghue explained that in the observations which he had made with reference to the Queen's Colleges he meant to say that these colleges did not meet the requirements of the Catholics of Ireland. There could be no mistake about the fact that the Government had admitted the truth of the proposition laid down in his motion, that there were objections to the present system of University education in Ireland; and though they had not thought fit to adopt the plan which he thought best calculated to remove these objections, still he admitted that the proposition of the Government was one which, when well matured and developed, might possibly be worthy of consideration. He felt that he should not be acting with fairness if he did not express his thanks to the Government for the candid manner in which they had acted; and with the permission of the House he would withdraw his motion.

A few days after this debate took place, Mr. P. Hennessy revived the subject in the House of Commons, by referring to a rumour which had got abroad, to the effect that negotiations had taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Roman Catholic Bishops, on the subject of the proposal recently made on the subject of the Roman Catholic University. Having read a letter from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam in contradiction of this report, Mr. Hennessy called on the Home Secretary to say how the matter stood. Sir George Grey stated, without hesitation, that since the time when he made the statement on the part of the Government in that House, on the motion brought forward by the hon. Member for Tralee, he had had no formal communication with any persons on the subject of the change to be made in the charter of the Queen's University, in order to meet the views and wishes of the Roman Catholics in Ireland in relation

to obtaining University degrees. He had communicated privately with the Lord-Lieutenant and several friends connected with Ireland, in order to ascertain in what manner the object could best be effected in accordance with the wishes of those who were chiefly interested; but he had had no communication, direct or indirect, formal or private, with any member of the Roman Catholic hierarchy on the subject. He had stated that the Government thought it just and reasonable that the same facilities substantially should be given to Roman Catholics in Ireland to obtain University degrees as were enjoyed by others of Her Majesty's subjects, and they were prepared to act fully in accordance with that declaration. He had advised that such a change should be made in the charter of the Queen's University in Ireland as would accomplish the object. He might be allowed to add that the manner in which the proposal of the Government had been received by the Roman Catholic body was entirely satisfactory.

CHAPTER V.

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM-Proposal of Mr. Baines for a Bill to reduce the borough franchise to 67.-Important discussions on this measure-Lord Elcho moves the "previous question "-Mr. Lowe, in an impressive speech, declares against the scheme-Views of Sir George Grey, Mr. B. Osborne, Mr. Horsman, and Mr. DisraeliThe Bill is rejected upon the second reading-Lord Elcho gives notice to move for a Commission of Inquiry on the Reform question.-The Ballot-Mr. H. Berkeley brings on his annual motion in favour of that measure-He is answered by Lord Palmerston, and the motion is negatived.-AMENDMENT OF THE POOR LAW-The Union Rating Bill brought in by Mr. Villiers, President of the Poor Law Board— Object and character of this measure-It is warmly debated in the House of Commons-Division of the Conservative party on the question-Mr. Henley and other representatives of the landed interest strenuously oppose the Bill-The House decides in favour of the second reading by a considerable majority-Mr. G. Bentinck raises the question of re-adjusting the limits of unions-The proposal is negatived— Mr. Henley moves amendments to effect the total abolition of the power of removal -Mr. Villiers opposes the amendments as impracticable and premature-The amendments are rejected-Other alterations in the Bill proposed and adopted-Reception of the measure in the House of Lords-The Duke of Rutland moves that it be referred to a Select Committee; but the House, after full debate, adopt the Bill by a large majority.-Measures of practical reform-Bill for the construction of new courts of justice-Necessity of this measure-It is passed after some oppositionReform in the administration of Greenwich Hospital-A Bill is passed to provide for a better application of the revenues and improved system of management-A Bill proposed for the better regulation of the public schools-It passes the House of Lords, but, being sent too late to the House of Commons, is postponed.

If no other obstacle had existed to the consideration of the question of Electoral Reform, the last Session of an expiring Parliament was certainly not the time when that subject could be advantageously entertained by the House of Commons. Never