THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 251 



this the Society felt called on to explain that in their 

 negotiation they were not influenced by political feel- 

 ings. This accusation had been made against them in 

 consequence of the Most Rev. Dr. Murray, Roman 

 Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, having been rejected 

 as a candidate for admission. He was proposed by 

 John R. Corballis, LL.D., and seconded by the Rev. Dr. 

 Sandes, S.F.T.C.D., and there was a very large attend- 

 ance on the occasion, when it was evident that, for 

 purely political reasons, an organised opposition to the 

 Archbishop's election had been set on foot. A short 

 time before, His Grace had written a public political 

 letter, on which a threat of excluding him from the 

 Society having been made, some members connected with 

 the Castle party, which was then opposed to the Society's 

 regulations, openly stated that if this took place the 

 Government grant would be withheld. This effort to 

 prevent a number of independent men from exercising 

 their discretion created a great deal of feeling, and 

 undoubtedly contributed largely to Dr. Murray's re- 

 jection, which created a very great sensation in Dublin, 

 His Grace being personally popular with all classes. 

 Dr. Murray wrote the Society a very dignified letter, 

 which was ordered to be entered on the minutes. 



Mr. Naper, V.P., and Mr. Hamilton were believed 

 to have conducted private and confidential communi- 

 cations with the Lord Lieutenant, and, through want 

 of experience, and ignorance of the constitution of the 

 Society, both being very new members, they were 

 thought to have influenced His Excellency unfavour- 

 ably. They acted without authority from the Society, 

 and, while acquitting them of anything but the best 

 motives, a great majority of the members thought that 

 the hostile attitude of the Government was due in a 

 great measure to their ill-timed interference. Mr. 



