The Stanley letter is a letter written in 1831 by Edward Stanley (who later became The 14th Earl of Derby), then Chief Secretary for Ireland. The letter outlined his proposal which helped the U.K. Government to establish the legal basis for national schools in Ireland.[1] It was written two years after the government led by The Duke of Wellington, in alliance with Daniel O'Connell, secured the passage and Royal Proclamation of the Catholic Emancipation bill. It was penned by the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Edward Stanley (later Prime Minister of the United Kingdom as The 14th Earl of Derby) and was addressed to the 3rd Duke of Leinster.[2]
The letter also formed the basis upon which state education was established in Australia, where the model it outlined was advocated by statesman William Wentworth.