The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-15 00:00:00

HATMAREIT.

TBD Eressmo. MADEMOISELLE DE /MLLE ISLE. Megan
Howe and Farms Mesdames Bestrletand AngeI—PRESENTED
xr COURT. Messrs bnekstnne, Rogers, and Braid Mesdames
Rnowdea. OrStEth, and ROL—And BACCHUS AND ARIADNE.

PRINCESS'S.

TETI Erinale. BORN TO GOOD ME. Mr. D. Manny.
And THE STREETS OF LONDON. Meows. Vining. J. W. Ray,
D. Planer. D. Murray, J. Nelson. H. FOrialiiet and H. Mellon;
Mn.H. Manion, Mires Barnett and Glyn.

DAITAIMA,.

Tit/ Inane, TUE MOTHERS D TIRO CHILD. Mn. 8.
Lane. - Saab* by Madame Pleas sae lads Ualsey.—And
TOY 01 TAUCASITL—Contoenea at ball-pest 6.

HIGH WAY= AT LONDON-B=OX

Two DAT iiii:.:11411;;;Z: lb. asmi.
To-Koziww Morning, /a. 10m....Attam000. 211. Wm.

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15.

Tan Prison Ministers Act is producing, as any
development of the religious denominn.ional sys-
tem in our public establishments might be expected
to produce, a plentiful crop of sectarian bitterness.
Every day brings intelligence of some outbreak of
ecclesiastical party feeling. The Act has given
the Roman Catholic clergy a position of greet
advantage, as we all know. On the present
occasion, however, they seem to have departed
from their habitual and prudent policy of saying
little of their gains, and to be rather disposed
to flaunt their trophies in the eyes of their Pro-
testant neighbours. In no other way caw we
account for such an act as the recent attempt to
make the Preston magistrates parties to the pur-
chap° of their altar furniture, scheduling their
chalices, crucifix, and pyx ; as if they could not
just as well have taken the money, and quietly
bought the articles themselves. Their ostentation
has naturally aroused a vigorous no-popery spirit
in those whom these innovations offend. The
Blackburn parochial clergy are memorializing their
Bishop, complaining that to their grief and dismay the
magistrates of the county have recognised the
doctrine of transubstantiation, the sacrifice of the
mass, the adoration of images, and other deadly
errors. They say that they find themselves bound
by their sacred vows to teach and preach against
tenets and practices which the Legislature has sanc-
tioned and which the magistrates have adopted.
That is so, no doubt ; but Parliament must be held
to have legislated with a full knowledge of what
it was doing. In thus protesting, the Protestant
clergy may be only fulfilling a professional duty;
but the petty obstructiveness, mean jealousies,
and miserable squabbles into which English gentle-
men are betrayed at meetings of magistrates, when-
ever the new law is discussed, are much to be
regretted. There was Mr. Laren, a sen-
sible man in a general way, seriously in-
quiring on Thursday last, at the meeting of Middle-
sex magistrates, whether the new Act had been
complied with in Coldbath-fields Prison "without
" danger to the national faith." And another
magistrate wanted to know what guarantee they
had that the Roman Catholic priests visiting the
prison would not corrupt and debauch the crimi-
nals, and lead them into sedition.

Magistrates would do much better to suppress
their individual feelings and give the Act a fair
trial. This is the more necessary because it has
been, to a large extent, forced upon the country
by circumstances. It is not the invention of phil-
anthropists or prison reformers. In fact it
would be difficult to find its grounds and reasons
in any theory of prison management. We are
letting Roman Catholic priests at this moment
install themselves in our prisons, take posses-
sion of rooms, fit up altars, and array the
apparatus of their religion upon them, not
because we have any great expectation of good
to result either to the prisoners or to society
from all this activity, but because Parliament
has felt that what was already conceded to the
clergy of one Church could not be refused to
those of another. When Parliament passed this
Act, it was not so careful to ask whether the
proposed ineasuro would improve criminals and
promote the general objects for which prisons are
maintained, as whether it was not a necessary con-
sequence of something that had been done
before. Even Mr. DISRAELI spoke in favour of
the Bill, on the principle of religious equality.
Our legislators looked out of the Bill for a reason
for passing it, and it remains to be seen whe-
ther in thus proceeding they have not done some-
thing very unreasonable. When Parliament is
dealing with persons in possession of their civil
rights, the principle of religious equality is the
only one on which it can act with justice or safety:
but when it has to select means for the reformation
of prisoners it would seem that some must be
better than others, and that it is bound to choose
the hest.

It will be observed that all the diftimlties which
hare hitherto attended the adoption and application
of the Prison Ministers Act have arisen out of
the supposed necessity of providing for ritual
observances. It has been assumed, for instance,
and conceded, that there can be no effective minis-
tration to the wants of Roman Catholic prisoners
unless they are collected together in a place fur-
nished with an altar and the usual machinery of wor-
ship. The magistrates generally have done rightly in
not discussing this question, which they could not
examine either with propriety or profit. Accepting
the Act in the spirit of the supreme Legislature,
they must giro the Roman Catholic priest facili-
ties correepoodirvf to those granted to the Protes-
tant chaplain. But we are at liberty to aak

whether this supposed necessity is not imaginary,
and whether the State does windy in recognising
any social religions celebrations, Catholic or Pro-
testant, as a part of prison order. It will be
remembered that when the Bill was in Par-
liament all the arguments in its favour
were founded on the advantages which pri-
soners might be expected to derive from
the religious instruction of those clergymen in
whom they had most confidence. This was the
want which the Legislature intended to supply;
only, with its usual incuriousness when religious
affairs are in question, it neglected to look into
the significance of its acts. But the very same
facts crimes committed— which show the
prisoners to stand greatly in need of religions in-
struction, make it unlikely that they can furnish a
body of true worshippers. There seems something
like profanity in taking a sublime service, framed
to express the feelings of a "congregation of faith-
" ful men,"and putting its language into the mouths
of burglar', garotters, and pickpockets. It is not,
however, the religions aide of the matter which
we now wish to present ; we wish to ask in what
relation these celebrations stand to the require-
ments of penal justice. Do not men who break
the laws of society forfeit the right to be regarded
as of any religion at all t And are not " &biota-
" nous," "comfortable words," masses, music, and
incense, much rather religious luxuries than means
of criminal reformation I To give instruction to
the ignorant—that personal and individual
instruction, which is always found to be most
effective—is one thing ; to regale the reli-
gious sensibilities is another. The use of a
clergyman in a gaol is to convince the prisoners
that society exists by a Divine right, and that he
who breaks the laws necessary for its preservation
offends his Maker. This subject is one which
will probably be forced upon public atten-
tion. It is pre-eminently one for the laity ;
for the clergy, as a rule, will only look at it
from the points of view of their various sects. At
I present we fear we are only at the beginning of
the confusion that may be expected. This very
week one of our bishops went through the form of
holding a confirmation in one of our gaols; and
there is nothing in the Act to prevent a Wesleyan
minister from collecting prisoners for a love feast.
Soone.! or later society will be compelled, in its
own defence, when providing for the strictly
religious necessities of prisoners, to distinguish
between the reproof, warning, and instruction
that, duly mingled with punishment, save, and
spiritual stimulants which alternately excite and
lull the souL

't Coun.

BALMORAL, Oct. 13,

The Queen, accompanied by Priuceaa Helena,
and attended by the Hon. Harriet Phipps, drove to Inver-
oauld yesterday.
The Aberge/die Woods were driven for deer. and Sir
Ale:soder Bannerman sad the Hon. Lionel B. West, had
the honour of accompanying Prince Alfred.
bit George Grey arrived at the Cutts last night.
The Dean of Westminster bad the honour of dining with
the Queen and Royal Family.

Despatches were received yesterday at the 030mila-office
from the `o►ernors of the West India Islands, Vancouver's
Island, and British Columbia.

RETURN OF HER MAJESTY TO WIN DBOll.. —Her
Majesty and the junior members of the royal family ere
expected to leave Balmoral on Monday, the 24th inst., and
to arrive at Windsor Quills early next morning.
His Excellency the Austrian Ambassador and
the Countess Apponyi are expected to anise at Mandan
House, from Germany, during the sewed week a the en-
suing month.

His Excellency Count Kielmansegge, who for so
many years has been Envoy Extraordinary aid Minister
Plenipotentiary for Hanover at the court of St. James's,
has, we understand, relinquished that appointment on ac-
count of his increasing years and consequent infirm health.
Count Munster is mentioned as likely to be his ZEICCOCOOT.

The Marquis of Bristol has bad a relapse, and
his lordshWs health occasions much anxiety to the members
of his family. According to accounts from Ickworth Park,
the noble lord was no better yesterday.

The Marquis of Abercorn and Lady Georgians
Hamilton hare arrived at Bemidaert, Staffordshire, from
Ihron's Court, Ireland.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Lothian will
entertain a large party at Newbatthe Abbey, Delkeith, on
the occasion of the marriage of Lord Schoenberg Kerr.

The Marquis of Sligo has left the St. George's
Hotel.

The Earl mid Countess of Hardwioke and Lady
Agnelli Yorke are daily expected to anive at Win)**
Hall, Cambridgeshire, from Syd.ey Lodi*. near South-
ampton,

The Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury and the
Ladies Ashley have arrived at St. Gam's, Dorset, from
town.

The Earl and Countess Russell and the Ladies
Ronal! leave Pembroke Lodge, Richmond, at the end of
the month, on a visit to Lord and Lady Stanley of Alderley,
at Alderley Park, Cheshire.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston are about
tom:airs a select pArty at Broadlaads, Banta.

Viscountesa Middleton has arrived at the st.
George's Hotel.

Lord and Lady Chelmsford and the Hon. Mina
Threiger are erpected at their maiden-Jr. in Eaton-sown in
a few days, from a tour of visits in Scotland.

The marriage between Lord Schoenberg Kerr and
Lady Victoria Seat, eldest daughter of the Duke and
Ditches@ of Buoclauch, will take place at the Name time and
in the same place cc that between Miss Edith Kerr, laugh-
ter of Lord and Lady Charles Kerr, and Mr. William Pres-
ton Coosetr, of &swab, viz., oe thefdth November, at St.
Mars's Chapel, Dalkeitb Park.

HEALTH OF TUE MARQUIS OF BRISTOL,—We Ere
sorry to learn by the last accounts from Ickworth Park,
fhat the Marquis of Bristol is in a critical state, haring had
a relapse from his former severe illness.

- -
VIsIT OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNEsS PRINCE ALFRED
TO FLOORS CASTLE.—His Royal Higbone Prince Alfred
will arrive at Floors Castle on Tuesday next, the 18th teat.,
On a visit to the Duke and Duchess of ltoxhurghe. There
is every probability that the Kelso nos meeting will be
honoured by the presence of his royal highness on the fol.
levies day, when the Roxburgbe Handicap will be run for.
A very large and distinguished party has been invited to
meet hie royal highness at Floors Chad.. Should the
weather continue fine, the Race Stand will be well filled ;
for in addition to the visitors at Floors, there will be a
large and fashionable circle from Newton• Don, the
seat of Mr. %Moor : a select party from The Lees, the
Neat of Sir John Marjoribanks ; and another from Aocruni,
the seat of Sir William Scott, Ban, M.P. As the harvest
is eve' ia this district, the races will be unusually well at-
tended, and undoubtedly his royal highness will be warmly
received. The prince will remain the guest of the Duke and
Duchess of Roxburgbe until Friday or Saturday, daring
which time he will doubtless &ogle on the Tweed. His
royal highness is known to be a keen and expert fisher; and
on one occaaion, during a visit at Floors Castle, he landed
seventeen fine salmon ; while last summer, when in Norway
with the Duke of Roxburgbe, he performed equally skilful
feats with the rod. The Tweed is pow small, and not well
stocked with fish, so that his royal highness can scarcely
be expected to have very good sport, unless the Tweed
should fortunately rise in the interim.—EdinturgA Courant.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S-OFFICE, OCTOBER 12.
Notice is hereby given that the State Apartment. of Windsor
Castle will be closed on sad after Saturday next, the 15th
instant, mad further orders.— Gazette.

ADMIRALTY, OCT. 11.-John Dearden, Beq., has
been this day promoted to the rank of chief engines in her
Majesty's fleet ; Mr. Charles Symons has besot this day
promoted to the rank of assistaot-engirmer firer-edam in her
Malroty's fleet, with seniority from sth instant. —Chmerre.
BOARD OT TRADE, WHITEHALL, OCTOBER 14.
Tbe Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Cannel for Tiede have received from the fescrelary
of State for Foreign Affairs, • tranalatioo of a Spanish
royal decree, trios the duties on sheep's wool and ortain
kinds of woollen and mixed woollen textures imported ioto
Sp.io ; which is published in last night's Oa_. etre.
ORTITAL PALLOR. OWE EIMITLLING DAT. •••••
FRIDAY, Ocr. 14.—Admissions on panned, 1,577; ditto
by smarm tickets, 811; total, 2,388.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE EMPEROR OF
RUSSIA AND THE KING OF PRUSSIA.
POTSDAM, Ocr. 15.

The King of Prussia arrived this morning at
Babetsberg in excellent health. Daring his return
journey he passed two hours with the Emperor of
Russia at Darmstadt.
Baron von Scheel Plasm arrived here this
morning from Vienna.

DENMARK.
COPENHAGEN, Ocr. 15.
_

Dagbladet of to-day says :—" Should peace be
concluded in accordance with the preliminaries,
the basis of the present order of succession would
be overthrown, in which case the legitimate heir
to the Danish throne would be Prince Frederick of
Hesse, and not Christian IX."