RELIGIOUS ANTAGONISM IN IRELAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2680, 14 September 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS ANTAGONISM IN IRELAND.

» Speaking at Truro on June 12, Mr Gladstone noticed the often-repeated assertion that the granting of Home Rule to Ireland would result in the religious or political persecution of Irish Protestants by Irish Roman Catholics. The assurance of the Roman Catholics themselves, Mr Gladstone admitted, might be regarded as untrustworthy by opponents, but the precedents of Irish history were conclusive. The suspicious assertions alluded to arose from the knowledge of what took place in England under Queen Mary, " and what," " asked the orator," happened in Ireland at that time? In Ireland nearly the whole nation was Roman Catholic—in Ireland there was hardly any difference of religious opinion at all, and yet, although that was the state of things, there stands recorded this historical fact, that from Bristol and from the Mersey, I believe rather than from the Dee—at any rate from the ports of those days— the Protestants of England, in apprehension of their Jives, lied to Ireland for security, and remained there in perfect safety under the protection of their lloman Catholic fellow subjects, while the fires of Smithfichl were in full blaze." After an account of the life and influence of the Protestant bishop Bendell among the Roman Catholics during the great rebellion, Mr Gladstone alluded to the admirable union existing among the people of Ireland one hundred years ago, when the Protestants were struggling together with the Roman Catholics to relieve the latter from their social disabilities, and asked, " what had put a stop to that union. The enemies of Ireland at the time determined to infuse into the country the poison of religious bigotry, and for that purpose they founded those Orange lodges, which will hand down to posterity the memory of intolerance and narrowness for many generations." Again, Grattin, Curran and Butt were Protestants; O'Gonnell was chosen as leader, not because he was a Roman Catholic, but because he was the greatest patriot of his day ; while Mr Parnell was so much a Protestant that, after the disestablishment of the Irish Church, he was chosen to represent his church as a lay delegate in synod. We will quote Mr Gladstone's final words: "Wow rely upon it, ladies and gentlemen, these Roman Catholic people will be found fighting breast to breast with you the battle of religious liberty. They will hold the same opinions upon this subject as you have held, which your fathers have contended for, and which have marched triumphantly towards so many successful and most bcneticial and brilliant results ; they will set an example to other Roman Catholic people of the world ; they will show the sincerity of their attachment both to the Throne and the law, and to the principles upon which the law will, as I hope, uniformly be founded, among which none will be more vital to the happiness and prosperity of the country, than the fullest and most absolute rccogniton of the great law of religious freedom to the consciences of all, irrespective of this profession or that profession, which we hope and believe to be held with the firmest personal convictions, each one respecting the convictions of every other man, even as he claims respect for his own."—Duncdin Evening Star.