Professor Dowden accuses me of having proposed at a meeting

held here in Maynooth last June to revive the " Catholic Association" in a modified form, and of setting on foot a movement from which " religious warfare" is sure to result.

Taking my stand on the doctrine laid down by Burke, that when a great portion of the labour of individuals goes to the State through the medium of taxes, and is by the State again refunded to individuals through the medium of offices, a cruel injustice is done to those who are excluded from the prizes whilst they bear their full share of the burden, I proceeded to examine the principal Government Departments in this country through which the State refunds its income. I do not wish to weary your readers with details of the inquiry, but it may interest them to know the general result. The figures are based for the most part on Returns given by the Government themselves and on the Estimates for the current year.

Protestants, 436,230 Catholics, 4630 Protestants, 414,200 Catholics, £2,920 Protestants, £51,692 Bs. Catholics, 413,112 8s. 8d. Protestants, £9,020 Catholics, nil

Protestants, £21,500 Catholics, £10,400

Protestants r3), 414,8309), £29.400 1 Catholics (18(), £11.400 County Inspectors of Police Protestants 3Catholics (4), 491,800

Protestants, 429.876 District Inspectors of Police Catholics, 211,690

I have given so far only a few specimens. The same proportion is observed on almost all Government Boards. The Land Com- mission is a regular preserve for one favoured section of the com- munity. At the head of the Board of Works there are three Protestant gentlemen, who, with their secretary, are in receipt of £4,631 a year. Until recently Catholics were represented on the Board, but they have been cleared out, and the Commissioners are now exclusively Protestant. At the head of the Local Govern- ment Board four or five Protestant officials divide between them annually the sum of £6,160, whilst the Catholic equivalent is £1,200.

Sir Horace Plunkett's Agricultural Department is no exception whatever to the rule. Indeed, it is one of the most scandalous exemplifications of it. His offices are literally packed with his own co-religionists, and when he cannot get them at home, he has no scruple in going to look for them abroad.

It is unnecessary for me to speak of our Universities, when every one in Ireland knows that Dublin University, the Queen's College, the College of Science, the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, the National Library and National Museum, are all, as far as salaried officials are concerned, purely Protestant insti- tutions.

Catholics apparently are to have no living whatever in the higher walks of life in their native land. The places filled in recent years by such men as Sir Bernard Burke, Sir John Gilbert, Sir Gerald Deese, Sir George Morris, John O'Hagan, Q.C., Richard O'Shaughnessy, &c., &c., are now occupied by Protestant gentlemen, who are no doubt quite competent to fill them, but who have nevertheless practically ousted so many Catholics.

Now, Sir, for years we have been asking, and asking in vain, for some relief from the scandalous injustice inflicted upon us in all these matters, and we have naturally enough come to the conclu- sion that our methods of application must have been defective. In the paper to which Professor Dowden refers I discussed the situa- tion, and said that only two courses were open to us,—one, in the language of Burke, to " merge our special grievances in the general discontent" and seek for redress through the ordinary political organisations within our reach ; the other to found a special organisation of our own. It is quite true that I favoured the latter alternative ; but I gave no countenance whatsoever to the " Catholic Association " or its " Handbook." I repudiated " boy- cotting" or `exclusive dealing" as vehemently as I could. I said, moreover, that we should have recourse to a special organisation only as a last resort, and that if I saw any glimmer of hope from any other quarter I should be the last to favour a special association on religious lines. If I anticipated that " religious warfare" and other evils would result, it is because I felt that any association of ours, no matter how innocent and lawful, would be unscrupulously attacked, and should be prepared to defend itself ; and I think that nobody who knows our Orange countrymen will think that I was unnecessarily concerned about the future.

It may console Professor Dowden, however, to know that, yielding to the representations both of friends and enemies, I have decided, as far as I am concerned, not to urge any further the foundation of a special association, and to ask my countrymen to rally to the first alternative, and seek for redress through the agency of our Parliamentary representatives. It may be neces- sary before very long to try some other methods, but for the present, as our common rights are threatened, the time is not favourable. Protestants may have whatever organisations they please, from Orangeism to Freemasonry ; but Catholics must not dare do anything to help one another.

Of one thing, however, you may be sure, and that is, that if Irish Catholics do not get fair play from your Government, nothing can prevent them from being profoundly dissatisfied and discontented. If your countrymen imagine that the state

Lord-Lieutenant and his Household ...

Chief Secretary's Office Judges of the High Court Law Officers of the Crown Recorders and County Court Judges...

Resident Magistrates

—I am, Sir, &c., J. F. HOGAN, D.D.

St. Patrick's College, Maynooth,.

[We publish our correspondent's letter, but we must protest against the assumption that appointments ought to be given to men because they are Roman Catholics, or withheld from others because they are Protestants. Appointments must

be given to those who most deserve them, irrespective of creed.—ED. Spectator.] [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")