§ Mr. Ferrandpresented a Petition from the county of Kerry, in favour of the continuation of the grant, to the Kildare Street Society. He considered the petition of considerable importance, as it was signed by respectable persons of all parties. The petitioners stated, that the Society was increasing and extending its schools—that, the great body of the people were favourable to its system of education—that the non-attendance of children in some places, was owing to the intimi- 326 dation practised by the Catholic Priests, and they concluded by praying the grant might be continued.
Mr. O'Connellwished to correct an error which had appeared: he had been made to say, that Lord Oriel had received 72,000l. out of the First, Fruits in Ireland, for his own advantage. That was the mistake, he complained of—he had merely repeated a statement made by the hon. member for Waterford, that 700l., or 1,700l., he forgot which, had been given out of the first fruits of the parish in which his Lordship resided, to build a church. He had never had the smallest intention to charge Lord Oriel with having received this money for his own advantage.—Petition laid on the Table.
§ On the Motion that it be printed,
Mr. O'Connellfelt it his duty to admit, that this petition proceeded from a small, but highly respectable body of his constituents; but they were not of all parties. Fortunately, there was a little party spirit in the county of Kerry, and that little had been introduced by instituting Baptist Sunday Schools. Those who excited, party spirit in Kerry, were the chief subscribers to the present petition. He was surprised, however, to see their names attached to the petition, as it contained most gross misrepresentations on this particular subject. He had lately seen an account of 31,000 Baptist Schools in a newspaper, when, in fact, there were only thirty-one. With regard to Schools built by Catholics, one had been erected at Tralee, by Dr. M'Glenny, in which 700 boys were educated, no exception, being made to the religion of the children, which had never received a farthing of the public money. In Killarney, 500 or 6OO boys were educated upon the same principles, and almost every village had schools conducted in the same manner, and they were all supported, as the poor had been for the last two years, at the expense of the county. Convents were likewise maintained, in which female children were taught. He believed, if the question were put generally to the inhabitants of Kerry, 999 out of 1,000, would be against the continuation of the grant to the Kildare Street Society.
§ Mr. Lefroycould not understand how respectable persons, such as the petitioners had been described by the hon. and learned Gentleman, could attach their signatures to a petition which he had 327 described to contain misrepresentations. He could assure the House, that the Kildare Street Society was acceptable to the people; it was opposed by a portion of the Catholic clergy, but was popular with the laity of the same persuasion. The question for the House to consider was, whether the children of Catholic parents should be educated with the children of Protestants, though their priests did not like it.
§ Mr. Ferrandassured the House, that the respectable Gentlemen who had signed the petition, were incapable of misrepresentation.
Mr. O'Connellthought, that the hon. and learned member for Dublin was wrong, when he declared, that the clergy and laity of the Catholic Church were at variance on the subject of the Kildare Street Society. It was evident this could not be the fact, for the clergy had no other dependence than the bounty of the laity. When the clergy were well paid, whether they worked or not, they were inclined to do little: this was not the case with the Catholic clergy, and he hoped to God it would never be.
§ Petition to be printed.