The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLIC PROSELYTISM.

The Tines of Thursday last call' attention to a most
strange and startling system of making converts car-
ried on in this country by Roman Catholic priests. The
following are the particulars : Mr. William Henry
Vansittart, eon of Mr. W. Vansittart, member for
Windsor, was placed on the 25th of last mouth with the
Bev. Mr. Hodgson, rector of Rackheath, a quiet country
parish, 901/10 four or five miles from the city of Norwich.
The place, for reasons which we shall presently detail,
had besn especially selected as • sate and desirable one,
and for ten days the young gentleman rainained con-
tented in all respects with his treatment and his posi-
tion. On the eleventh morning, however, after his
arrival, when his tutor bad just left the house on clerical
duty, young N'anaittart descried a man stealthily creep-
ing up the drive which led to the rectory. The etranger
wore • small Italian hat, and was muffled up in a large
cloak, which hslf concealed his features. For • moment
or two he crouched down under the hedge to escape
notice, but at length he approached the house, and was
recognized by the person of whom he was in search. It
was an old Italian prieat, who had seen young Vansit-
tart at Brighton, had tracked Lim to Norfolk, and had
dogged his Steps up to the precincts of Rackheath rec-
tory: After saluting the young gentleman, he produced
• "holy relic," on which lie swore his to secrecy, and
then, with an apology for the vulgarity of the expres-
sion, advised him to "cut and run," in other words, to
Irate Mr. Hodgson's house and seek an asylum in some
Catholic eh pel, ofmbich, he averred, there were "plenty
about." Young Vansittart followed this counsel, and
on Saturday last, between 5 and 6 in the morning,
ileatinped from the rectory, and presented himself at
St. J.lm's chapel, in Iladdennarket, Norwich. That is
the first scene of the performance ; the second is leas
melodramatic, hut MOM diversified with incident.
On arriving at the chapel the young gentleman first
went into the yard and looked about him, till at length
lie heard a tap at • window, and found himself beck-
oneil by the Bev. "Canon" Dalton into what proved
to be the priest's house. Here he was questioned as to
his errand, and, after that had been duly disclosed, as to
his position, his connexions, his intentions, and his pens-
pecta. The answers on theme points most, we presume,
have been satisfactory, for the Rev. Canon promptly
lent himself to the furtherance of the young fugative's
designs. He gave the lad some breakfast and • glass of
wine, and even hinted at an advance of money, though
that article, as he truly remarked, wu "scarce," So
scarce, indeed, was it, that though the required amount
was not very considerable, it became necessary to mime
• portion of it by the sale of Mr. Vansittart'e watch and
pencilcase, for which valuables the sum of 17s. 6d. was
obtained, though only in friendly quarters, and at
the Canon's intercession. The pnest knew • "good
Catholic watchmaker" in Norwich, named Bcha, who,
lie reasonably argued, would be likely to manage the
transaction with more readiness and fewer inquiriesthan
any Protestant tradesman. So to Beha's they went,
young Vansittart walking close behind the Canon
through the streets, but not keeping open company with
him, for fear of attracting notice. The bargain proved
rather • difficult one. Bella did not want the watch,
nor did another dealer to whom application was made,
but at length an auctioneer consented to become the
purchaser of the article at the price of 15e., while Beha
took the pencileue and found the odd half-crown. To
these sums the ('anon, either from his privy purse or
the funds of the Church, added Vie farther contribution ,
of 65.. and then, having also given hisyoudg friend •
of introduction to a " Father Thomas,” in London, a
"little relic of the Immaculate Conception," some
highly prudent advice, and his address, be left him to
dine in the watchmaker's back shop, and departed. At
this point, however, unluckily for the plot, the 'dean.
ture breaks off, for while !Ir. Vanaittart was "haring '
dinner with the Belies" an inspector comes in, and the
third scene of the drama is enacted before the Norwich

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magistrates.
Canon Dalton, at present cannot be connected with
the transaction coy further than is shewn in the Nor-
wich episode of the story, for it does not appear that he
and young Vansittert had ever met before, and his wu
not the particular chapel to which the runaway had been
recommended by his mysterious viitur. But who was
that Italian priest who found his way to Rackheath in
disguise, and who was the "other priest," by whom
this Father Gingini--if that be is name—wLs originally
introduced? Where is the hand which put all this
machinery in motion, and gave the impulse to this char-
acteristic conspiracy? The true spirit of Popery Grope
up at every point of the story. " Remember," said
disguised priest at Rackheath, "whatever you are
doing, it is for the " glory of God ;" and accordingly, in
the cause than abonimably profaned, • young man is
exhorted by one priest to ran away from his tutor.
&boded by another in tricking his father, provided with
means of conceshnent. and furnished with paseporte to
take him from one hiding-place to anther, like a pro-
scribed fugitive or a political outlaw. There are the
principles of acti which render Pol'e7 no detested in
this country. What parent can be secure if his son is
to be subjected to temptations and manoeuvres like
these, —if the first symptom of weakness in • lad is to be
eagerly marked, the disease sedulously cultivated, and
the final catastrophe promoted by all the arts of an or-
ganised and unscrupulous fraternity? "It is for the
glory or God," forsooth! and by this overruling argu-
ment any outrage on morality or honour is preen:torf to
be justified. Roman Catholic.' are now in the enjoy-
ment of full political liberties, but those liberties do not
include the privilege of kidnapping infants or entrap-
ping minors.

.e inquiry Ins not yet advanced beyond the pre-
linhinary stage, there is Tobably a good deal to be dis-
covered, for some of the circumstances described in
the evidence are little less extraordinary than those
already described. Young Mr. Vanaittart had, before
guinf to Backheath, been placed at • seminary at
Brig ton, and while there apparently lied formed his
acquaintance with the in-jests, who so keenly
wate•el him afterwards. Probably a previous leaning
towards Popery hail been acquired cl.lring a tour on the
continent, or in Ireland, but, wherever the contagion
may have been imbibed, the priests knew of the fact,
and never from that instant lust sight of their mark.
Things had gone so far as Brighton that the young gen-
tleman's father hind been summoned by telegraph with
the information tba. his SOD had disappeared! Mr.
Vansittart repaired at once to the spot, and there found,
truly enough, that his son was missing, but that a cer-
tain Mr. Clary, • Banish priest, knew the place in
which he was secreted. To Mr. Clery, therefore, he
wen., and that worthy ecclesiastic, being &coated some-
what sharply, and by a member of Parliament to boot,
consented, a:ter • little opposition, to surrender his
prey. It was fur security against them maehinations
, that the young gentleman was then removed to Rack-
heath—with what results we have now seen.

At the close of the itivettoo on Moody, Nadir
Veasittart, the youth sot to be bummed with by
Fetbar Giututi, wee raeommttbed to the goazdiansLip of

the Rev. Mr. Hodpon, at RackMeth. sad .a varmas
for tbii_ apprehension, if possible, of the" hll meet,
wits Weed in the Lauda of the superintendent of the
Norwich police. On Wednesday eventing Master lfan-
satin . wet directed by .elsgrain to proceed with all ex-
pedition .o town for the purpose s' identify* tb•
person supposed to be Glacial. The yourig gentleman
—who is spod•lookini, i.rid but apparently swil WW•
proationabla yoada—acoordingly latt Nanrioh by the
firat availabla train.