THE HOME RULE QUESTION. Protestant Opinion.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2201, 17 August 1886, Page 3

THE HOME RULE QUESTION. Protestant Opinion.

Tile Freeman's Journal publishes the following ;—; — Mr Alfred Webb, whose name is held in high and well-merited esteem by the great majority of the Irish people as that of a consistent, pure-minded, and conscientious Protestant Nationalist, has rendered a signal service to the Irish cause. Mr Webb recently invited, from a wide circle 6f his co-religionists, a statement of opinion regarding the • probable effe«t of Home Rule upon their position. His inquiry was couched in -the followiug comprehensive ' terms :— " Have you during your experience of life in Irealand observed any instance of intolerance amongst your Catholic friends and neighbours, such as would lead you to fear for your liberty and safety, and for th« free exercise of your religion, under and Irish Constitution such as that sketched out in Mr Gladstone's Rill?' Mr Webb has collected the replies in the form of a pamphlet, which , is, now. passing through the press, and will be published in a few days. To the end that the considerable number of Englishmen honestly but ignorantiy apprehensive of the future treatment of Irish Protestants by a native Government may be enlightened, and for the confusion of panic-mongers in this country who do not hesitate to requisition religious, or rather sectarian, animosities, for the support of political projects, we propose quoting some necessarily brief extracts from this convincing mass of Protestant testimony, given by men who are representative of all shades of Protestant belief, of all classes and secular interests, in vindication of the character of Irfsh Catholic for tolerance, amity, and good-will in all the relations of life towards their non- Catholic neighbours. ! The first letter in Mr Webbs collection is from Mr John Allington, T.C., of Waterford, late bank manager, and twice in recent years Mayor of that almost exclusively Catholic city. Speaking as an Ulster Protestant, who has lived 41 years in the most Catholic districts of the South, he declares that he never heard or saw in one single instance anything on the part of Catholics not consistent with th« most anxious desire to extend to their Protestant fellowcountrymen the. most complete equality in regard to civil and religious matters. He adds :—: — In my opinion the most perfect freedom of religion will be allowed to everyone under our new constitution now being formed under the auspices of Mr Gladstone, and I believe, the cry of religious intolerance now attempted to be raided is entirely a political one, brought forward for the purpose of defeating the attainment of the restoration of our national Legislature, without which every one who will give an unbiassed opinion admits the country must go from bad to worse, and the restoration of which will serve Protestants and Catholics alike. The Rev. R. 0. N. Anderson, 8.A., rector of Drinagh, Dunmanway, County Cork, writes :—: — During ray life, wholly spent in Ireland, and especially during sixteen years of it passed in districts of the south, in which the vast majority of the people are Roman Catholics, I have never met a single instance of religious intolerance on the part of my Roman Catholic neighbours. My experience of life amongst them records nothing but very constant kindness and courtesy. After twenty-five years' experience. as a business man, who has frequently travelled over the entire south of Ireland, Mr Richard A. Atkins, T.C., a leading Cork merchant, declares :—: — I have never experienced the least intolerance from my Catholic friends ; but, on the contrary, the greatest toleration and kindness, and I have not the least fear to trust my civil and religious liberty into the hands of my Catholic countrymen, under ■uch a constitution as sketched out in Mr Gladstone's 33i11. Professor Barrett, of Trinity College, whose reputation as a scientist of the first order is not confined to these countries, gives his testimony as follows :—: — Having lived in Ireland upwards of twelve years, and during that time come into contact with all sorts and conditions of my Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen, I can truly say that I have seen nothing whatever in their conduct that would lead me to fear for my liberty or safety, or for the free e\eiciseof my religious convictions under an Irish constitution such as that sketched out in Mr Gladstone'^ Bill. He adds that he has found the Irish Roman Catholics a deeply religious people, who respect the religious convictions of others. Mr Richard M. Harrington, L.L.8., of Fasarve, Bray, is equally outspoken — I have the greate*»t confidence in the good sense of my Catholic fellow-countrymen, and know of no instances of intolerance amongst my Catholic friends and neighbour I withhold my opinion on Mr Gladgione's Bill. Mr W. E. Burchell, 8.A., Cork, says:— I had ne-ver experienced personally, or observed amongst my neighbours, any intolerance on the part of Catholics towards their Protestant fellow-countrymen. Any intolerance I have felt or observed Ins been of a political nature, and in my experience chiefly directed against Protestants by their extremeConservativeand Orange co-religion-ists. I have no fear for my liberty and safety, and for the free exercise of my religion, under Home Rule as proposed by Mr Gladstone. I have resided in C«rk since my birth, and for ten or twelve years have mixed largly with Catholics, both in college and in my profession and count some of them among my personal friends. Dr. Henry Minchinn Clarke, J.P,, Philipstown, King's County, as a lifelong resident in Ireland, asserts his views :—: — I have never observed an instance of intolerance amongst my Catholic neighbours, but, on the contrary, kindness and toleration, which my Catholic friends not only express, but act np to I believe (and my belief is shared by most Protestants here) that we have nothing to fear from our Catholic fellow-countrymen. We ought to be able to form a correct opinion, as we are in these parts the few amongst the many. I believe that under an Irish constitution mich as that sketched out in Mr Gladstone's Bill, the country would settle down and j calmly and dispassionately exercise that political power to which it would become entitled, and that every man would be in the full enjoyment of the blessings of freedom, and the privileges of citizenship. Mr John E. L. Dowman, solicitor, Cork, after 15 years spent in intimate intercourse with all classes of Catholics, has never found anything even approach, ing to •' intolerance." He adds, with wisdom :—: — I have for many years held very decided views on the subject of Horr.e Rule, and I have no fear for my liberty, safety, or the free exercise of my religion under an Irish constitution. ( )n the contrary, I feel convinced that were the irritation now existing removed all members of the community would work harmoniously together, and that a glorious future would open up for our country. Mr Charles Eason, of Abbey street, Dublin, having for thirty years conducted a large and prosperous business with branches all over Ireland, thus relates his experience :— I have never known an instance of Catholic intolerance towards me personally, nor towards the business I have governed, nor does memory recall any cases of intolerance from Catholics coming under my own knowledge at any time. I shall not have the slightest fear to intrust my own liberties and those of my family to the control of an Irish Home Rule Parliament in connection with the Bill of Mr Gladstone. The Rev. Henry Stuart Fegan, M.A., late Rector of Pembroke College, Oxford, and now Rector of Great Chesainffton, Norfolk, as a Protestant who has "mixed much with Irish people of all ranks, and watched the bearing of one class and creed towards another," In Western Kerry and in Islington (near London) I hare seen ill-feeling, but in both cases it was caused by very injudicious attempts at Rroselytwin, and was not at all of the 'kind which "threatens liberty and safety." It was only, due to the wish to be let alone. I cannot imagine that the free exercise of Protestantism would be at all endangered under such Home Rule as jir Gladstone has sketched out.