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Catholic schools

the complements full) does not exceed 15,891; CHAP. X. being less, by 6000, than the number of Catholic children actually instructed at the unendowed unendowed, schools in only two dioceses-Cloyne and Ross.

These curious facts demonstrate, at once, the ardour of the people in pursuit of Instruction, and the immense numbers of the growing Catholic population of Ireland.

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Mr. Newen

urged ham's « View

shall

of Ireland."

comprising Preface, p. 19.

Mr. Newenham, in his Preface, presents. sò Lucid a view of this interesting subject, with reasoning so irresistible, that we close this Article with an extract from it: "If in two districts," says he, "about one-half of the county of Cork, there "be found 316 unendowed schools, in which «21,892 children, chiefly of the lowest class " of Roman Catholics, are instructed in reading, writing, common arithmetic and, in several

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Docility, and

in the Irish

instances, the more abstruse parts thereof, as love of learning, navigation, &c. If, in other districts, the peasantry, "unendowed schools be equally numerous— "if the lower Irish, in many parts of the country, speak two languages, idiomatically and essentially different-which, by the way, " is far from being the case in Wales-If there be found much fewer evidences of simplicity. and ignorance of human nature amongst the

CHAP. X. "Irish Peasants, than amongst those of other "countries which cannot be controverted

Mr. Newen

of Ireland."

ham's "View If the former, when in strange countries, "prosecute their business with greater intelli

Catholic schools unendowed.

Catholic clergy, fully vindicated.

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gence and success, and extricate themselves " from accidental difficulties with greater faci"lity and address than the latter which is a "fact-there surely is not quite sufficient ground "for pronouncing them comparatively* illi"terate and ignorant.

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"And, if these unendowed schools, in at least three-fourth parts of Ireland, bę, with

very few exceptions, under the superintend"ence of Roman Catholic masters-is it not "evident, either that the Roman Catholic

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Clergy take no pains to keep the lower " class of their laity in a state of ignorance, or that their influence does not extend sufficiently far to do so-and that, consequently, in either case, that, which is received as fact, ❝ is the opposite of truth ?".

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* It is observable, that a most venerable and highlyinformed Protestant Bishop, in a Charity Sermon, preached in Bristol Cathedral, in October, 1810, and since printed, has published his opinion, "That two-thirds of the labour❝ing poor in England are wholly unable to read or to write."

SECTION Y,

CHAP. X.

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Laws respecting Catholic Guardians of

Children.

ude of parents,

ject.

1. THE Guardianship of children is Natural solicita subject, which interests the finest feelings of upon this subthe human heart. One of the most pleasing duties of a parent consists in the care and instruction of his offspring. This engaging occu pation frequently constitutes a principal comfort of his life-and how natural must be his wish, that, when the hand of death shall have withdrawn him from his children, they may be placed under the protection of those per

sons, in whom he has been accustomed to repose

his confidence! What agony to a dying parent, who is forced, by intolerant Laws, to contem-Anxiety of dying Catho plate the probability that the care of his infant lice child will be transferred to sordid or negligent strangers, bound to inspire him with early prejudices, hostile to the religion and habits of his, parents and kindred!

CHAP. X.

2 Anne, ch. 6. enacted,

Sect. 4.

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2. In 1703, the Legislature of Ireland "That no Catholic should be Guar"dian to, or have the custody or tuition of, Disabling Ca- any orphan or child, under the age of 21 being guardians." years”—and that the guardianship (whenever a Catholic might become entitled to it) should "be disposed of by the Chancellor to the "nearest Protestant relation of the child, or to

tholics from

Substituting

Protestant
Guardians.

Children res

moved, &c.

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some other Protestant-who is thereby re"quired to use his utmost care to educate "and bring up such child in the Protestant "religion."

The Chancellor was further impowered by Chancellor, (where one parent should be Protestant and the other Catholic) to take away the children from the parents, and to make orders for their

Protestants

at the charge of father.

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and educated education in the Protestant 'religion-to appoint where, and in what manner, and by whom, such children should be educated:and to compel the father to to pay such charges of education as should be directed by the court. Any Catholic, offending against this act, was subjected to a penalty of £500-recoverable by the blue-coat Protestant school, in Dublin,

Penalty.

21 & 22 Gen. 3.

In 1782, an act was passed, permitting ch. 62. Sect.. 5. Catholics (qualifying by taking the oaths, &c.)

to become guardians to their own children, or to CHAP. X. those of other Catholics.

30 Geo. 3.

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Dissenters, first

appoint Testa

In 1790, the Legislature passed an act, principally for the purpose of enabling Protestant 29. Dissenters to appoint testamentary guardians: enabled to the Statute, theretofore in force, (14 and 15 mentary Char. 2. c. 19.) having strictly limited that: power to persons in communion with the Church of England.

Guardians.

same Act.

This Act, however, contains a clause, by which Catholis also, by "it is made lawful for any Catholic, who shall "not have lapsed from the Protestant religion, "to dispose of the custody of his child or "children, during minority, by deed or will "executed in presence of two credible witnesses, "in like manner as Protestants might) to any person other than to an Ecclesiastic of the Church of Rome."

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ch. 21.

Statute of

ex-1793

The Statute of 1793 provides, indeed, that 33 Geo. 3. "Catholics shall not be liable or subject to any "penalties, forfeitures, disabilities, or incapa"cities, &c. save such as the Protestants are "liable to"-subject to the numerous ceptions contained in that statute. But it is a serious question, in Irish courts of Justice, whether this loose and general enactment can be effectual for repealing positive prior

inefficient.

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