Colleges Bill - The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps)

John Mitchel
Author’s Edition (undated)

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of the government, on that day, in temperate but significant language, to depart so far from the caution which is usually observed by a Minister, as to declare publicly, that while we were most anxious for the amicable adjustment of the differences—while we would leave nothing undone to affect that amicable adjustment,—yet, if our rights were invaded, we were prepared and determined to maintain them. (Loud cheers). I own to you, that when I was called upon to make that declaration, I did recollect, with satisfaction and consolation, that the day before I had sent a message of peace to Ireland."

The object of the bill was to provide more largely for the endowment of Catholic Professors, and the education of young men for the Catholic Church; and the Minister prudently calculated that it would cool the ardour of a portion of the Catholic clergy for Repeal of the Union. It was forced through both Lords and Commons as a party question, though vehemently opposed by the intense bigotry and ignorance of the English nation. But the Premier put it to them in that irresistible form—Vote for our measure, or we will not answer for the Union!

Another of the Premier's ameliorations was the Colleges Bill, for creating and endowing three purely secular colleges in Ireland, to give a good course of education without references to religious belief. This also was sure to be regarded as a great boon by a portion of the Catholic clergy, while another portion was just as sure to object violently to the whole scheme; some because it would place education too much under the control of the English Government; and others because the education was to be "mixed," strict Catholics being much in favour of educating Catholic youth separately. Here then was a fruitful source of quarrel among Repealers; and in fact it arrayed bishop against bishop, and O'Connell against "Young Ireland." The walls of Conciliation Hall rung with denunciations, not of the Union but of "Godless Colleges," and of "the young infidel party."

But the Premier had another plot in operation. For ages, Protestant England had refused to recognize the Pope as a Sovereign, or to send a Minister to the Vatican. It was still illegal to send an avowed Minister; but Sir Robert sent a secret one. He was to induce his Holiness to take some order with the Catholic bishops and priests of Ireland, to draw them off in some degree from the Repeal agitation. By what motives and inducements that agent operated upon the Pope, one can only conjecture, and my conjecture is this: Italy was then in continual danger of revolution; if Sardinia and Naples should whip out their kings, the Pope would not be safe. Within the ...continue reading »

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