| Title: | [M. O'Sullivan, Killyman?], Moy to Primate Beresford, [Armagh?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2009 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | O'Sullivan/61 |
| Year | 1849 |
| Sender | O'Sullivan |
| Sender Gender | |
| Sender Occupation | clergyman? |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Moy, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Primate Beresford |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | political affairs involving religion |
| Source | T 2772/1/11/141 Col xi: Copies of Primate Beresford's Correspondence. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404153 |
| Date | 08/06/1849 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 20:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 701 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [?] [?] O'Sullivan June [14?] 1849 [Killyman?] Rectory Moy, June 8 1849 My Lord I have the honer [honour?] to enclose the copy of Mr Dallas's letter and beg to thank your grace for letting me see it, as well as for your consent to my loan under the Board of Works - The letter of Mr Dallas causes me to regret that I can discover among my [papers?] little trace of a correspondence in what I was engaged (so far as the interchange of a few letters) with members of the Special Fund Committee. It commenced I remember with an [instruction?] to me that the Committee had some funds at their disposal remaining from the funds confided to them are to be employed according to the principles of their society - In reply to a request that I would state my opinion as to the best mode of employing it, I suggested the endowment of lectureships in some of our leading Towns - and if the resources were adequate, assisting the Clergy in favourable localities where additional curates were most desirable. I stated the advantages which might result from an agency approved and [directed?] by the Bishops and Rectors of the Church, and developing its powers as part of a system already in operation, not as a new agent causing alarm and suspicion because it was new. I remonstrated against peril and inconvenience of setting apart the Clergy, when the Committee were to march for a special mission, and objected to it on principle as well as for the tendency it would have to revive a national prejudice against the society and the enterprise I remember saying that the influence of the Roman Catholic Priests over their people was weakened, and that such a mission as the Committee meditated would have the effect of reviving it. I fear much that the present aims of the society are ill directed. It is not well to associate England, thus, in the minds of the Irish Roman Catholics, with the effort to disabuse them. Were the society to have ended as in the manner suggested by your Grace, controversial preaching would appear, as it ought to appear, Scriptural and Protestant. Associated as it will now be, with the views of an English Society the Priests of the Church of Rome will be able to turn national prejudices to account against it. A great occasion, I believe, will thus be lost. I must, however, say that I hardly thing we have material in the church for taking extensive advantage of such occasions. The more I reflect on the subject the more I feel the want of systematic instruction and training in the Dublin University a grievous defeat. In all other departments, even in the divinity school I have no doubt the academic system is much improved, but students in divinity are not prepared as they should be for the discharge of their duties in a country circumstance like this. Under all difficulties however, it seems manifest that good dispositions are growing in the minds of the Roman Catholic people, and that the zeal and efficiency of the clergy of our church are dayly [daily?] improving. It is some what [somewhat?] strange that when they are most worthy of confidence, Societies which offer them aid, seem least disposed to confide in them - Perhaps it will be all for the better. I have the [hereto?] to your Graces obliged and [?] servt [servant?] [?] [?] It is not, I apprehend, saying any thing [anything?] of which your Grace is not aware, to notice how the passion to emigrate grows when our people have Difficulties of the moment prospects and apprehensions for the future - alarm as to the potatoe [potato?] crop, fear of lower markets than those of last year, and a sense of wrong as well as injury in the whole Poor Law system are producing their effects. Some of the most reputable among our farmers are making preparations to leave the country or to send part of their families abroad who are to prepare places for themselves - I fear there will be many ruined landlords and many unoccupied [farms?] in Tyrone before the year closes - And notwithstanding all their dangers landlords remain inactive |
