The EARL of WINCHILSEA, after presenting a very large number of petitions for the repeal of the Maynooth College (Ireland) Act, said: My Lords, before I proceed to call your Lordships' attention to the Motion with which I shall conclude my observations, and which I hope will receive your Lordships' general assent, allow me to express my deep and heartfelt pleasure that this question is now about to be laid before you—though at the same 1292 time I regret it should not have been brought under your consideration by abler and more competent hands. I am my Lords, fully sensible how totally incapable I am to deal with this important question, owing to the humble nature of the talent I possess. My Lords, Session after Session I have waited with the earnest hope and expectation that the open and avowed attempts which the Church of Rome has been carrying on of late in this country to effect a total overthrow and subversion of our Protestant Church and institutions, and to re-establish on their ruins her lost power in this country, would have engaged the serious attention of each succeeding Government—that they would have induced them to institute a strict and searching inquiry whether these attempts, of a spiritual character, on the part of that ambitious and overweening Church, were not altogether inconsistent with the safety of the Protestant Establishment of these realms, and should not be repressed by our Protestant Government in this country, where the great principles of civil and religious liberty are not alone recognised, but may be said to be our boast and delight.
My Lords, you are aware that between two and three years ago the Pope of Rome committed one of the most flagrant acts of aggression on the Crown and dignity of the Protestant Sovereign of this great empire, as well as of outrage on the Protestant feeling, such as had never been offered in the history of mankind by one friendly country to another. Without the least previous communication on the subject, which at the least, would be but courtesy, or inquiry into the state of feeling here, and on which feeling Her Majesty's Crown is based, the Pope of Rome dared to issue a bull, by which he established a Catholic hierarchy in this portion of our Sovereign's dominions, which he had the unparalleled audacity to divide into sees and episcopates, for the avowed purpose of establishing the canon law in this realm, and also set a prince of his own selection above our heads. In the Session of 1851 the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill was passed, after a whole Session being consumed, and all public business brought to a stand. Notwithstanding, that Bill does not provide against the introduction of Romish bishops into England, or offer any opposition to them; it merely prohibits the assumption of territorial titles and jurisdiction by those bishops. Even these are 1293 prohibited in a manner so guarded that evidence of the offence is difficult to be got at, notwithstanding the offence has been so openly and avowedly committed that I believe Her Majesty's Attorney General, if placed at that bar, would have little difficulty in bringing forward irrefragable proofs of the offences prohibited by the Bill. In fact, notwithstanding the strong Protestant feeling manifested at that period against this aggression of a foreign law and potentate, yet that canon law has been introduced into this kingdom with the knowledge and consent of Her Majesty's Ministers. Now, my Lords, I wish to know the nature and character of that law, and its effect on civil and religious liberty, which I hold to be far dearer than life, sealed as it has been by the blood of our fathers, and transmitted to us as a birthright. My Lords, the canon law of Rome is antagonistic to the civil law, not alone of this country, but even of the several Catholic countries in Europe, in many of which it will not be permitted to be promulgated. Now if Roman Catholic sovereigns will not permit that law to be promulgated in their dominions because it has been found to be hostile to all government and authority, I insist that, à fortiori, this Protestant State ought to take all precautions to prevent its being brought into operation against themselves by its subjects. Now if the Legislature enact laws for the government of the people of this realm, and at the same time suffer them to be rendered inoperative by the antagonistic legislation of a foreign Power, it will not be alone opposed to all independence and responsibility, but it will be a virtual handing over of the Protestant institutions of the country to the Pope of Rome. I suppose I shall be met by some noble Lord with the reply that "canon law is entirely confined to religious matters, and that the canon law cannot affect the religion of this country." God grant, my Lords, the day will never come, or that we shall live to see it, when the power of the Church of Rome may be developed in this country! and I am sure, if the Legislature and the people of this Protestant realm be but true to themselves, canon law will never find effect in this land of free and enlightened opinion, as we have seen it recently developed among the inhabitants of Tuscany. My Lords, with a view to establish and carry out this canon law in England, under the superintendence of his own hierarchy, the Pope of Rome 1294 has established an episcopate solely and expressly with that object. Now, it strikes me that we should examine into this question extensively, and also that we should investigate the nature and character of the education supplied to those candidates for the priesthood, upon whom will hereafter devolve the duty of carrying out the principles and wishes of the potentate of Rome. It is of importance, my Lords, that we should thoroughly examine this question of the education of the priesthood of Ireland, seeing the fearful power they exercise, not only by influencing their feelings, but also in compelling the consciences of the Roman Catholic population of Ireland. Now, there is one college supported at the public expense where that law is taught, and the system of education adopted within its walls is a fair subject for public inquiry. Now, my Lords, the facilities which we possess for investigating the system of education and the subsequent training of the College of Maynooth, are so complete and so abundant, that I have to propose that they should be availed of; for we have at this moment before us all the great works upon dogmatic as well as moral theology—in fact, copies of all the important documents published under the authority of the Romish priesthood, and authenticated by constant and daily use in Maynooth. These documents have been placed in the libraries of the three great Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin. Perhaps your Lordships will recollect that at the time of the Papal aggression a document was published under the authority of the Roman hierarchy, which gave full and ample information, not only as to the canon law of Rome, in which the priesthood of Maynooth are instructed, but also as to the canon law which the Roman Catholic hierarchy set forth in the year 1832. Well, my Lords, in consequence of this statement, a requisition was drawn up by gentlemen of Huntingdonshire, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, requesting him to allow these documents to be investigated by competent authority, and to have their contents certified by men of learning, character, and respectability. My Lords, I hold in my hand the book which contains the report drawn up in consequence of that requisition, and I will take the liberty of reading both the requisition and the answer. The requisition was as follows, and, as your Lordships will perceive, it 1295 was signed by the Duke of Manchester, and several other Members of your House. It said:—
We whose names are hereunto subscribed consider it to be a matter of high importance to the security and well-being of the institutions of this country that the character and objects of the Papal canon law should be investigated and ascertained. The Pope has presumed to parcel out England into dioceses, over which he appoints bishops, who, as Cardinal Wiseman has distinctly stated, are required for the express purpose of carrying the canon law into effect. The obvious duty, therefore, of the Protestants in this Empire is to ascertain what is the canon law, to the introduction of which so much importance is attached. We have been informed that original and authentic Papal documents have been deposited in the university library at Cambridge, which demonstrate both the nature of the moral theology inculcated in the authorised interpretation of Holy Scriptures, by the Roman Catholic bishops of Ireland, for the instruction both of priests and laity, and also, which is the great point in question, the principles of the canon law, said to have been introduced into Ireland when the Roman Catholics had obtained political power in 1832. We understand that at the very time these bishops were making public professions of gratitude and loyalty, they were pronouncing, in their secret statutes, a sentence of excommunication against all heretics; that they set up a code of canon law, Benedict IV., which contains, among others, laws for the restitution of all forfeited property held by heretics—for the extermination of all heretics out of their diocese—for compelling Roman Catholics, under the heaviest spiritual penalties, to submit to and obey the temporal commands of the Pope, with others of a similar import. We therefore make our respectful request to the right worshipful the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, that he would be pleased to cause that these documents, deposited in the public library of the University, should, either by a syndicate appointed for the purpose, or in any other way that he may think fit, be fairly investigated, and a report made thereon, so that it may be known, from competent authority, what is the real character of the moral theology of Roman Catholics, as set forth in their interpretation of Scripture, and of the canon law, so far as it regards Protestants, which has been for some years acted on in Ireland, and which it is intended, by the bold step lately taken, to establish in this country. For it is manifest to us, that a code of laws involving the principles above stated, could not be permitted to work uncontrolled in the heart of a free State, without leading to consequences which it is fearful to contemplate.And here, my Lords, is the answer returned by Vice-Chancellor King:—
§ "Cambridge, Feb. 4, 1852.
§ "My dear Sir—As I suppose that all the sheets of the report are by this time printed off, it may be satisfactory to you to be informed, that the extracts from the several documents therein referred to were duly verified by friends of mine on whom I can depend, and that I have myself taken pains to see that such corrections as my friends 1296 found occasion to supply have been attended to in the printing.—Yours, very truly,
§ "Rev. E. Baines. "G. E. CORRIE."
§ Further, I am also able to lay before your Lordships the following certificate from the University of Oxford:—
§ "We, the undersigned, having carefully examined the report, printed in London, 1852, on the documents of the Church of Rome, deposited in the Bodleian Library, 1840; and having compared all the extracts from these important documents cited in that report with the original works, do hereby certify that these extracts are accurately and fairly made, and convey, as far as they go, the just and true meaning of the works from which they are respectively taken, on the several subjects on which they are cited in the report."
§ "JOHN DAVID MACBRIDE, D.C.L., Principal of Magdalen Hall.
§ "R. GANDELL, M.A., Assistant Tutor, Magdalen Hall.
§ "Oxford, April 23, 1852."
§ And the following is the report made by Trinity College, Dublin:—
§ "We, whose names are hereto subscribed, leaving examined a book entitled A Report on the Books and Documents on the Papacy deposited in the University Library, Cambridge, the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, A.D. 1840, printed at London, and published by Partridge and Oakey, 1852, the said books and documents having been examined under the permission of the provost and senior fellows, do hereby certify that the several extracts contained in the above report having been carefully compared with the books and documents deposited in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, have been fairly made, and do accurately correspond with the same.
§ "JOHN HENDERSON SINGER, D.D., Archdeacon of Raphoe, and Regius Professor of Divinity, Trinity College, Dublin.
§ "GEORGE SIDNEY SMITH, D.D., Professor of Biblical Greek, Trinity College, Dublin, and Rector of Aghalurcher.
§ "S. BUTCHER, D.D., F.T.C.D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Trinity College, Dublin.
§ "Trinity College, March 25, 1852."
§ Therefore, my Lords, we have the evidence of the truth of the documents in this report certified by able and learned men from our three Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin—by men whose high character and station supply the amplest grounds for crediting their assertions —men who were never seen mixing themselves up with parties or political contests, who endeavoured throughout their lives never to separate themselves from the sacred duties of their holy calling—men, in whose regard, if I could take the sense of your Lordships' House upon such a question, a unanimous testimony of the 1297 most honourable character would be returned. But, my Lords, we have the documents themselves, if the evidence before us is not deemed sufficiently complete, and which will fully testify to the accuracy of the reports to which I have alluded; therein we have the means of investigation ready made to hand, and which have been submitted to the process of proof. I, therefore, must assert, my Lords, that there never was presented to your Lordships a better opportunity of bringing evidence more complete to bear out this question than in the Committee which I propose to your Lordships. My Lords, it is of peculiar importance, in my humble judgment, at a moment when Rome is making every effort to establish her power throughout the world, that we should become as accurately informed as possible as to the whole bearing of a system whose dominion we shall have to contend against; for it must be remembered, that when Mr. Pitt proposed his well-known questions to the most celebrated Catholic universities, the answers which he received from them were considered a manly refutation of the worst charges made against the Church of Rome. Now, my Lords, I do not ask you to grant an inquiry into the religious doctrines of the Church of Rome. No; such an inquiry as that must be deprecated on all accounts, for it would lead to a religious warfare—to a strife of creeds, utterly unproductive of any beneficial results. But, my Lords, I demand that an inquiry shall be instituted into the moral teaching, into the social doctrines, taught at the College of Maynooth; and which I am prepared to contend are totally subversive of those great principles upon which the civil and religious liberty of the Protestants of this great empire are founded. And I am content to rest that proof upon the report in my hand—a report that will lay bare and unmask all the strange contrarieties, all the anomalies of the system which the British Parliament is recognising by its repeated votes. For if the canon law is such as I have described—if the Roman Catholic priesthood are educated as I have stated—if their system of dogmatic and moral theology be such as accounted in this report, I am prepared to contend, no matter how great the ability that meets me, that it is utterly impossible that the condition of the people of Ireland could be otherwise than what it is. And, further, if we find, my Lords, that the canon law taught at 1298 Maynooth, and under which the Romish hierarchy of Ireland has been organised, so far from taking cognisance solely of religious considerations, is almost wholly and entirely taken up with dissertations and explanations upon the temporal power and authority of the Pope—in fact, if the only spiritual element throughout these treatises is that which points to the vast powers of the Pope, which enable him, through the agency of the bishops and priests of Rome, to overcome the wishes and understanding of the people—I would then ask your Lordships, will you any longer remain in the dark upon a subject so nearly concerning the civil and religious liberty of Protestants as well as Roman Catholics, and which affects the lives of all British subjects throughout the world? And in order to allow your Lordships to judge how far this moral teaching of the priests of Rome is mixed up with instructions of a purely secular, of a purely political, character, I will read to you the following extract, which is headed