in all human probability, have passed away from the Bourbons for ever. It is said, in the newspapers, that Mons'. FRESSENONS (I think that is the name) is to pronounce a funeral eulogy on Louis the XVIIIth. M. FRESSENONS be a very eloquent man; but, if I were the late King's brother, I would cause the above documents to be re-published; and rely upon them rather than upon all the

may

availed themselves of this opportunity for the purpose of more extensive crimination, I request your permission to state some facts and observations respecting the general system of education in Ireland.

The Catholics of Ireland may be fairly computed to amount to six millions, at the least; and if those persons are to be considered the members of a church, who profess its doctrines, are subject to its discipline, recognise the spiritual government of its hierarchy, join in its worship, orators in the world. and confine themselves thereto, as I have not room, in this Re-sufficient, in their estimation, for gister, to notice the other parts of the article of the Chronicle. I will do it in my next.

EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

their religious ends; if such be the true marks of the members of any Christian communion, I apprehend it will not be denied that the Catholics of Ireland constitute, at this day, the most numerous religious class in this United Kingdom. I do not desire to make any other use of this fact than as a justification for my position, that it is unreasonable and

[THE following able Letter from Mr. Macdonnell would have appeared in the Register before, but want of room prevented its inser-presumptuous for any individuals or tion. This Letter ought to be read by everybody. It is calculated to do, and will do, a great deal of good.]

To the Editor of the Morning

Chronicle.

societies, of different, and still more, when of opposite and hostile princimunity should submit to be governed ples, to expect that this large comby them in the important cares of the religious and general instruction of their youth.

SIR-I cannot help considering it Such pretensions would not be ena mark of unjustifiable prejudice, that dured for a moment by any other such industry as we daily notice, religious body in this United Kingshould be used to place the Catholic dom; and yet it is because the Capriesthood of Ireland in the most ob- tholic Clergy and Laity of Ireland do noxious view before the British pub-not submit, without complaint, to lic; and that too, for no other reason than because they refuse to place the instruction of their flocks under the direction of societies and institutions distinguished by no other peculiarity of character than their hostility to the faith professed by that hierarchy. Had the discussion of the controversy between the venerable Head of the Catholic Church in Ireland and John M'Clintock, Esq. been confined to that country, I should not have thought it necessary to trouble you with any communication; but as some of the London prints have

this intolerant assumption, that an outcry is raised against them, and it is vehemently insisted that the education and instruction of the Catholic youth of Ireland should not be entrusted to their parents or their pastors, or any other members of the same communion, but be confided to every enthusiast, bigot, mountebank, or officious old lady that may please to occupy or amuse themselves with such cares.

In Catholic France, where the Protestants form about 1-57th part of the population, the instruction of their

youth is not controlled by any Ca- | collections or Parliamentary aids tholic authority. This just and rea-that public confidence has been sonable principle is extended also abused, and some public funds perto the Jews in that country; and, verted from their original purposes, in accordingly, it is provided by a Royal order to indulge the factious spirit of Ordinance respecting that commu- some of those societies; that others nity, dated 20th of August, 1823, make out their accounts and returns published in the Moniteur, Septem-in a confused and deceitful manner, ber 13th (Article 18). "Il ne pour-in order, as it would appear, to evade ra être employé dans les écoles pri- the detection of their real designs; maires aucun livre qui ne soit ap- that accounts are stated in which the prouvé par la Consistoire Central, du most important items are untruly consentment des grands Rabbins." set forth, although purporting to be -Such a provision is liberal and just; vouched by all the forms of a rigoryet, it is desired to except the Catho-ous audit; and, finally, that some of lics of Ireland from the operation of these publications, particularly prethis principle, which is extended to pared and put forth for circulation as the Protestant and the Jew in France. inoral tracts, abound with falsehood, I have used some diligence in en- and breathe a factious and unchrisdeavouring to ascertain the real cha-tian spirit; while others, designated racters and objects of the several so- as religious, are most disgusting and cieties or institutions pretending to revolting compositions, directly tendbe engaged in promoting the instruc-ing to bring into contempt and disretion and improvement of the poor in pute the whole Christian system, its Ireland. It is a matter of public no divine founder, and the sacred Scriptoriety, that motives of bigotry and tures. proselytism have been imputed to It further appears, that in order to them, and that, on the other hand, cover their machinations, they admit solemn protestations of pure, disin-some occasional deviations from their terested, Christian benevolence were general course, and that there subpromulgated on their behalf. It ap- sists among many of them a systepears to me, that those protestations matic intercourse and confederacy, by are not justified by the facts; that, means whereof they are enabled to on the contrary, the management of expend through the agency of one, those societies is uniformly influenced the public funds entrusted to another; by an Anti-Catholic, proselytising and thus to establish and preserve spirit, to which all their proceedings one vast machine, composed of many are made subservient; that some of and complex instruments, all operatthem resort to the most unworthying to the same end. means to attain these ends, particu- I find that with some limited exlarly by the industrious dissemina- ceptions, the whole of the Parliation of gross, and too often wilful mentary grants for the sustenance misrepresentations, as well of their of schools and education in Ireland, own progress, as of the principles and amounting this year, to 105,2771. deportment of the Catholic clergy 1s. 8d. Irish currency, is confided, diand laity of Ireland, which they cir-rectly or indirectly, to anti-Catholic culate through the medium of Reports, Appendixes, Magazines, Tracts, and other occasional publications, and also the speeches and conferences of their members, agents, or emissaries. That these and other impositions appear to be practised upon the British public, for the purpose of obtaining contributions, either by

Managers, principally under the direction of the Members of one or other of those Societies; and that the applications from Catholics to the Legislature for a participation in those funds were rejected, almost with contumely. I observe, also, that the British contributions, estimating them at the same amount as

in the last year, would raise the funds malevolence. On the contrary, I beplaced at the disposal of those so-lieve that a large majority of their cieties and institutions, for this single contributors, and managers, and even year, 1824, to nearly, if not fully officers in Great Britain, may be in200,000l. to be expended in the pro- fluenced by purely benevolent momotion of their sinister projects. Now, tives, and should be considered as Sir, it is known that the great mass unconscious victims of too credulous of the Irish population is grievously a confidence in the representations afflicted by all the miseries inciden- of others, rather than voluntary crutal to a state of wretched destitution, saders against their Catholic fellowand a strong sense of past injuries subjects in Ireland. If they read and neglects. Without any tem- the public journals of that country, poral comfort, and but ill provided they must now be satisfied that all with the bare necessaries of life, the that has been stated about the oppoonly possession now left to them is sition of the Catholic Clergy to the that which neither the confiscations instruction of the poor was utterly: of intolerance, the inquisitions of unfounded, for that no class of his despotism, nor the vulture-grasp of Majesty's subjects in either country the task-master or the tithe-proctor has been so zealously engaged in the could reach, namely, their religious diffusion of that blessing; and surely principles and attachments; and it they must be aware that Great Briseems resolved upon to prevent their tain furnishes a more ample field peaceful enjoyment of even this than Ireland for any British Philanfast-and not the less cherished be-thropist, whose real desire is to procause it is the last-relic of their mote Christian improvement, and not ancient fortunes. Be assured that to indulge in anti-Catholic bigotry. the teasings and thwartings to which For, it is a curious fact, that while the feelings of that sensitive people are one of those societies, when refer. subjected by those uncharitable so- ing to Ireland, laments that "a peocieties, uniformly produce irritation, ple so near the centre of light should discord, and discontent, and directly be involved in thick darkness," (Retend to make the British name ab- port of the Irish Society of London horred in places were it would other- for 1823, page 7,) others deplore with wise be esteemed and extolled, with equal solemnity the darkness that genuine sentiments of fraternal grati-obscures this same " Centre of Light." tude, in return for the liberal aid even-The Reports and Magazines and once contributed in the hour of their other publications of the several distress. It should be the fixed re- "Home Missionary" and "Itinerant solve, as, in my judgment it is ob- Societies" abound with such repreviously the policy and the duty of any Administration, anxious for the conservation of public order and the cultivation of national harmony, to discountenance such proceedings as the sources of great and general mischief; for so long as these seditious obtrusions prevail, it will be impossible for any Irish Government, whoever may preside over it, to conciliate public feeling, enjoy public confidence, or secure the public weal.

I do not, by any means, desire to 'impute to every individual connected _with those societies, a spirit of bigoted

sentations. I shall make some extracts, in order to satisfy our goodly evangelizers that they may find abundant occupation at home, where their lahours may be directly applied to their objects, and there is no reason to apprehend any obstructions to their operations from the existence of any previous religious predilections or prejudices. I proceed, at once, to the extracts:

"There are among us those not less in darkness and ignorance than those that are to be found in the Pagodas of China, or who, amidst the deepest wilds of Indian forests, sacrifice their

children, or prostrate themselves of the darkest districts you will meet before demons, at whom they trem-with," (p. 4). Staffordshire is stated ble, but whom, as gods, they adore." to contain three hundred thousand Home Missionary Mag. Jan. 1820, inhabitants, one half of whom "are p. 22. Speech of John Wilks, Esq. distributed over the whole space of Chairman at a Home Missionary the county, in small villages and Meeting. hamlets, the greater part of whom are in a state to excite our commi seration. They sit in darkness, and the gloomy shades of over-spreading death" (page 4, 5). Again, "Oxfordshire presents but a dreary desert" (page 5), and a moral wilderness of awful dimensions" (page 7). As to a part of Berkshire, it is stated, no one unacquainted with similar scenes, can form an adequate idea of the extreme ignorance of the inhabitants of those villages" (page 5). The writer adds, "not only these villages, but a number of others near us, are similarly situated: in one of them the villagers are in a state of complete mental darkness" (page 6).

At the same Meeting, the Rev. Mr. Irons stated-"In our own country there were MILLIONS whose consciences were never appealed to by faithful ambassadors, and who never heard of the Prince of Life." The Rev. Mr. Evans stated," that he had travelled through districts of twenty miles, without a single school for religious instruction." The Rev. Mr. White observed, "He had preached among the villages, and knew their state a state of the greatest ignorance, and of the most awful immo rality." The Rev. E. A. Dunn" contended that he was the greatest patriot, who endeavoured to remove the darkness and depravity which had so long degraded the inhabitants of our native villages."

At the first Annual Meeting of the Parent Home Missionary Society, held May 15, 1820, the Rev. J. Leifchild exclaimed, "O! where is the man who can think, without pain, that in this land of Goshen there should still be so many places shut up in miserable darkness!" (Home Mis sionary Magazine, June, 1820, page 145). In the Report read at that meeting, it is stated, in reference to "Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, and part of Lancashire," that, "Darkness covers this part of England, and gross darkness the people" (page 2); that "the more internal parts of Northumberland are awfully destitute, and the people are living in the greatest darkness and wickedness" (page 3); that the County of Worcester " has been termed the garden of England, but in a moral light, it may be regarded as a waste, howling wilderness" (page 4); and again, "Another highly respected Minister writes, this part of the Island (Worcestershire and Hertfordshire) is, I believe, one

The succeeding Annual Reports contain similar representations: The Rev. Thomas Sharp, in his Report of Devonshire, says, "Alas! I can hardly suppress the rising tear, when I look eastward, and westward, and southward, beyond the sphere of my labours; for there are thousands and tens of thousands yet untaught. Much remains to be done even in the North of Devon, many a dark corner to be illuminated: many Bri-tish heathen to be instructed" (Se cond Report of the Home Missionary Society, page 12.) The framers of this Report state, that Mr. Sparks preached in four places, which 66 were mere moral wildernesses, and knew nothing of Evangelical truth" (page 14). They refer to numerous tracts of country which present scenes of moral desolation" (page 18), and they add, that "thou sands of their countrymen and countrywomen are perishing for lack of knowledge" (page 22). In conclu sion, they observe, "an immense forest of destitute spots appears, before us, the moment we cast our eyes on the map of our country

Every where our Missionaries are

ready to weep over the spiritual désolation around them" (page 23).

Their Fifth Annual Report, adopted 5th May last, breathes the same In the Third Annual Report, it is desponding tones. The following paobserved, that there are in the neigh-ragraph may be taken as a speci-bourhood of the Missionaries, "one men :-" Some of the Missionaries hundred and forty-five villages, con- yet mourn. Mr. Drury. laments taining an awfully ignorant population the state of his neighbourhood in of more than sixty thousand souls" Sussex, and Mr. Hardy still sighs (page 21); and it is added, "if such over Herefordshire." The latter says, be the ascertained state of the villages "But a few years ago-a cloud of in the neighbourhoods of the Mis- darkness-thick darkness, as the valsionaries, what vast maltitudes would leys of the shadow of death, hung be found to claim your Christian com- over the people, and there was scarcepassion, were a correct estimate to bely a ray of Gospel light to cheer the made of their condition throughout moral gloom. Sin abounded, and the kingdom?" It is further dis-death reigned; and while the tears tinctly asserted, that "none but of affection fell over the graves of those who have taken the trouble to departed relatives, no man cared for explore the village population, can their souls. Blessed be God! the possibly conceive of their wretched scene is somewhat altered, and here state of ignorance, and of the degree and there is a rising light in the darkof vice that prevails among them."ness, but it is painful indeed to witOne of the Missionaries, on entering ness so great a proportion of our felon his station, complains of "num-low-immortals yet in the hand of the bers greatly increased, moral degra- enemy." dation unusually deepened, ignorance The Reports of the Baptist Home with insensibility united, wickedness Missionary Society are all in the same blended with every vice, and height- strain. I shall trouble you only with ened into barbarity of manners" very few extracts from one of them-(p. 24); another says, "I verily be- that for 1822-being the Twentylieve that this is the worst place un- fifth Anniversary of their operations. der the heavens: for men, women, They say " It is lamentable to reand children, seem to glory in blas-flect on nearly one hundred villages pheming the name of the Lord." in the county (Hampshire,) and on (p. 25.) Another tells the Commit- its borders, still destitute; the moral tee, "that his station exceeds every degradation, mental darkness, and thing he ever witnessed for wicked- spiritual wretchedness of which are ness; for cock-fighting, bull-baiting, scarcely conceivable; an ignorance of quarrelling, drunkenness, and lewd- the only way of salvation exists as deness, generally prevail;” (p. 25.) and plorably as among Pagans who never the Committee emphatically adds, heard of the Bible," (page 5.) Again, that "these are a few out of many the Committee "cannot refer to the facts that are to be gathered from the counties of Warwick, Worcester and journals of the Missionaries;" (p. 25) Hereford,without expressing the deepand they also state, "If more were est regret, that where a kind Provineeded to awaken your feelings, tales dence has clothed the face of nature of ignorance could be related that with its richest verdure, and rewarded would rend your hearts." (p. 31.) the toil of the husbandman with the In the Fourth Annual Report, it is most abundant produce, the basest admitted, notwithstanding all their ingratitude should be cherished, and evangelizing labours, that "Infide-immorality indulged in its grossest lity, like a mighty flood, has been forms" (page 8.) In St. Mary's, devastating society with the most aw- Scilly, at the commencement of our ful errors, and moral abominations." Missionary labours, "but two persons could read the alphabet" (page..