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63 © Intelligence . — 'Parliamentary " : Belfast Aed deinioal Institution *
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Visitor ; Honourable J . O'Nell , M . P ., VisitQr ; Hi and J . Johnson , Fletcher and Co ., Lewis Tate and Co ., J . Barry aflid Co ., J . Richards and Co . 5 J . Bell , CJarrick and M'Chan , J . M . French , James Bl ^ ir , M . P ., London , and Samuel Thotripson , Mackamore Abbey , Ireland , Proprietors ; John Barnett , and W . and H . M'Ewen , Belfast , Managers . " »
On the motion that the petition should lie on the table , Mr . Humr supported the prayer of the petition , i ^ nd trusted the attention of his Majesty ' s Government would be called to the subject . Should that turn out not to be the case , he hoped the Noble Lord by whom the petition had been presented to the House , ^ vould make a specific motion
respecting it . - Mr . Goulburn expressed his apprehension , that if an inquiry into private Institutions , such as the one under consideration , were required of the
Commissioners in question , they would be overlaid with the immensity of their business . The ultimate object of the petitioners was to obtain support from the public purse ; but there were many other institutions of a similar kind both
in Ireland and in England , which were equally deserving of support . Mr . Abercrombie expressed his surprise at what had fallen from the Right Honourable Gentleman . When he considered the nature of this Institution , he had been so far from thinking that the
prayer of the petition would be opposed by any Member of his Majesty ' s Government , that he had imagined they would express the utmost thankfulness and gratitude to the petitioners for their application . Perhaps the House were not aware < d £ the objects of the Belfast Academical Institutionand of the class of institution
, persons to , ana oi tne class or persons to whom its benefits applied . They were applied to the great body of the Protestants in that part of Ireland . r l < he object was the education of those who were to be the instructors of the Protestants , not only as clergymen but as schoolmasters .
The object was not , as those who had heard the Right Honourable Gentleman ' s statement might be induced to suppose , particular and individual , but general . It was a most extraordinary argument on the part of the Right Honourable Gentleman , that the objects of the Institution ought not to be promoted at the public
expense , because Belfast was an opulent town , the inhabitants of which , therefore , ought to take the charge upon themselves . Ought private means to be called upon for the support of an Institution which was to educate clergymen , not for large benefices and no flocks , but for large flocks , among whom they were to reside , and to exercise the most powerful
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influence ? Was if not * most njonfcttdus , that when , so small a sum was Required for sufch an object ; thei ^ sluid ^^ the slightest : dispositiojnton the p * rt > Of ^ the Irish Government to withhold ty ? JFh % Right Honourable Gentleman would re *
present the Institution as if it * were only a , private one , omitting to state that it had once received the support o £ Government . Why . th ^ t support , ha 4 « been withdrawn he-would not th ^ n say ^ . The petitioners were quite ready to meet $ . and indeed challenged every possible inquiry
into all parts of their conduct . They desired that every part df the conduct of the Institution , and-of the , character of every thing connected with it , should be scrutinized and canvassed with the utmost
severity . If what he had heard was true , the support of Government had been with - drawn from the Institution because Government had unsuccessfully endeavoured to interfere and obtaiu the patronage of the Institution . . ,
Mr . Forde expressed his conviction , that if the proposition were acceded to , such a return would be made as would induce the House to consent to a very liberal grant . The Institution was conducted in the most excellent manner :
arid when the Catholics" had their College at Maynooth supported by Government , for the education of Catholic clergy , it was only fair that the Presbyterians should be allowed the same privilege in their own country . ... . . ¦
, Mr . Spring Rice said , he did not mean to enter on the defence of tfie Belfast Institution , as it had not been made the subject of attack ; but he thought that if any public establishments were required in a country , none could be of more importance than an institution for the education and maintenance of the
Clergy . They did not require a permanent annual grant 5 all they wanted , was such assistance as would enable theni to render their own exertions available ; and it was his intention , if he could obtain the concurrence of his Noble Friend
( Lord Arthur Hill ) , to move an Amendment , which would open the whole question ; for he perfectly agreed , that the Presbyterians were just as well entitled as the Catholics , to receive the assistance of Government . He should now move , as an Amendment , —" That an humble
Address be presented to his Majesty , praying that he would be graciously pleased to order that the Commissioners to be appointed to inquire into the state of Education in Ireland , should take into their early consideration the condition and resources of the Belfast - Academic
Institution , and report their opinions on the same to the House /* Sir John Newport said ., the real ques-
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1824, page 636, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2529/page/60/
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