The principal discussion on Wednesday arose over Mr. D. Plunket's
amendment prohibiting the Irish Legislature from making laws affecting Trinity College, Dublin, or the. University of Dublin. The action of the Roman Catholic Church in 1873 showed its intense hatred of any scheme of united education. That hatred continued. For example, Archbishop Walsh had used language which meant con- fiscation or destruction. Therefore, Trinity College needed special safeguards; for those provided in the Bill were illusory. Mr. Plunket ended a speech of great ability with a panegyric on his University, which Mr. Gladstone warmly praised as "a touching and eloquent appeal." He refused, however, to sanction the amendment, declaring that Trinity College already possessed "a threefold defence," and that Mr- Plunket proposed "to take Trinity College and Dublin University out of Ireland altogether." Ultimately, the amendment was lost by 42 votes (284 to 242). Though we agree with Mr. Plunket's amendment, we are glad to note a general agreement among the Unionists that the Roman Catholics must be sympathetically treated as regards the University question. For example, Mr. T. W. Russell ad- mitted that they had "a grievance in connection with the- subject of higher education."
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