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university these colleges. Lord Palmerston promised ministers the fair
and honest support of the Whigs. The measure was opposed by Sir Robert
Inglis; but leave was given to bring in the bill, and it was read a
first time. On the motion for the second reading, which was moved on the
2nd of June, a debate was commenced, which continued by adjournment for
two nights. The debate was opened by Lord John Manners, who moved that
it be read a second time that day six months: his belief was, that if
it passed in its present shape it would prove a curse, and not a boon to
Ireland. Sir James Graham defended it from this charge. He proceeded to
state some proposed alterations in the bill. The first change proposed
was with regard to the visitorial power of the crown. He proposed to
give the crown the power of appointing visitors, which visitors would
have authority to inquire into any abuse which might arise in these
institutions, and to apply an effective remedy thereto. He also now
thought that there should be attached to each of the colleges a hall or
halls in which religious instructions might be given to the students by
pastors of their own religion; and he was disposed to add a clause to
that effect. The Roman Catholic bishops had presented a memorial praying
that a fair proportion of the professors and office-bearers in the new
colleges should be members of the Roman Catholic church; that
Roman Catholic professors should fill the chairs of history, logic,
metaphysics, moral philosophy, geology, and anatomy; that there should
be a Roman Catholic chaplain in each of the colleges, to superintend the
moral and religious instruction of the Roman Catholic pupils, and that
each of these chaplains should be provided with a suitable salary; and
that all Roman Catholic professors should be appointed to a local board
of trustees. Sir James Graham could not consent to such demands: as a
majority of the students would belong to the Roman Catholic church, it
was probable that a majority of the professors would belong to it also;
but they could not be exclusively provided by the measure. Mr. E. B.
Roche, who had at first hailed the measure as a boon, now declared his
intention of opposing its further progress, because the nomination of
all the professorships was in the crown, and there was no "fixity of
tenure" for any administration which entertained friendly sentiments
toward the Roman Catholic population of Ireland. Sir Robert Inglis
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