The Times of yesterday seems to speak in a rather
half-and- ball tone as to what the Government ought to do in relation to University education in Ireland. For our own parts, we do think that in this matter the object of the Government should be to give the Catholics of Ireland what they would certainly give themselves, in case they ever obtained that 'complete self-government to which the Unionists on principle object. We would not in any way interfere with the Uni- versity of Dublin, which is now a very admirably managed and admirably endowed institution open to all Irishmen, —Catholics included, — though managed on those non- sectarian principles to which sincere Roman Catholics must necessarily object. But side by side with that great Uni- versity, we would give the Roman Catholics a well-endowed University of their own, and place it under the control of a trustworthy Roman Catholic corporation. It is all very well to say that the Protestant youth of the nation would virtually, though not directly, be excluded from the scope of such an institution, since their parents would never subject them to such influence. That is quite true. But it is also quite true that the Catholic youth of Ireland are virtually, though not 'directly, excluded from the University of Dublin and the great resources of Trinity College, Dublin, by the very fact that they would in such an institution be placed in close con- tact with all sorts of non-Catholic, and in many cases some- thing less than Protestant, influences. The Roman Catholics cannot be placed on a real equality with the Protestants of Ireland without giving them a University of their own, as well endowed, and as dignified as the great University which is both Protestant in its origin, and more or less Protestant in its atmosphere. We should give the Roman Catholics what will really content them, and not what will only survive as a new grievance.
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