The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-01 00:00:00

ROMAN CATBOLIC DIPOTATION TO LORD

PIILJUIRBIOII.

A deputed= of the catholic clergy and laity, on the sultject
of prisons and workhouses, had an interview with Viimount
' Palmerston yesterday. The detentation consisted of the Hon.
C. Langdale, Lord B. Howard, Viscount Campden, Lord
Petro, Lord Stafford, Lord Arundell of Wardour, Lord
Berries, Visconist Castleman, Sir R. Throckneorton, Sir J.
D. Acton, the Right Hon. W. Monad% Hen. T. B. Stoner,
Hon. J. F. Arundel!, Hon. M. Maxwell, Mr. J. F. Maguire,
M.P., Colonel Townley, Colonel Vaughan, Dr. Brady, M.P.;
Mr. R. Berkely, jun., Mr. Bodenham, Mr. R. Swift, Mr. E.
B.yley. Mr. H. Wilberforce, Rev. A. Oakekty, Rev. J. Hath-
away, Rev. V. Zanotti, and Rev. W. Kelly.
The Han. C. LANGDALE, chairman of the meeting lately
held at St. James's Hall, Introduced the deputation, and
laid before his lordship the ground. of their intervention on
behalf of the inmates of these institutions. He stated that
according to the present system catholic prisoners were pre-
vented from having clergymen of their own persuasion,
unless in cases where formal applications were made for that
purpose; that inconsequence of the deficient system of eagle.
trations at schools end reformatories great numbers of =the-
lio children were annually proselytised; and that the parents
of catholic children were disturbed in their dying moments
by the belief that their offrpring becoming dependent on the
dais would be brought up in a religious creed at variance
with that in which they were born and baptised. The only
remedy to meet this evilwovid, in the opinion of the demi-
don, be the official appointment of cstholie chaplains to
gaols and the appointments of catholic masters and mistremee
in those schools whom the number of catholic children would
warrant such appointments.
Lord Berries, Mr. Monsell, M.P., Mr. Maguire. M.P.,
Mr. Wilberforce, the Rev. Canon Oakeley, and other gentle-
men having addressed the noble lord (who was accompanied
by Sir O. C. Lewis, secretary of state for the home depart-
ment), and dwelt upon the hardship of preventing catholic
prisoners from having free access to the clergy of their per-
euasion,
Lord PALMERSTON said there could be no doubt of the
nectsaity of appealing to the religious hellos, of criminals,
or teat such appeals were not meet successful when made
by tho ministers of their own religious creed. The impor-
tance of providing religious education for children was
alto indisputable ; but he did not believe that any intelli-
gent protestant, or any intelligent catholic, would for
■ moment dream of scrambling for the conversion
of • few helplers children or locate, rated criminals. He
assured the deputath n. that her Mojoety's government were
most anxious to do whatever waa feasible to secure that
religious instruction so Decree thy for improving the condi-
tion of the criminal, sad to provide fair play with regard to
the education of children. He reminded the deputation
that when he was at the Horne office provision had been
, made in the estimates for the eateries of catiolie chaplains
in government gaols; but that Mr. Spooner and the party
who rallied round him succeeded, much to his (Lord Palmer-
. eerie) regret and disgust, in tbrowieg it out. Latterly a dif-
ferent view bad been taken of catholic claims by the party
, with whom Mr. Spooner acted, and for nations of which
they themselves, were the beat Judges. (Laughter.) Her Ma-
, jeety's goveronmot were not, however, indieptheo to receive
them as converie—(renewed laughter)—and he assured the
, deputation that they were not prepared to follow die example
of tdr. Spooner and his ft imds. Welk regard to the method
by which the object which the deputitith had in view eon,cl
, be accomplish. d, it could only be done by a change in the
, law, and with the sanction of parliament, end he wee not

prepared at that moment to say whether it would be expeditnt
to briar in any enartmenr for the purpose.
Mr. Moxsmot suggested dint the Chancellor of the Er-
chequer should restore the vote to the estimates for the 're-
pent year, in order that the sincerity of Mr. Spooner and big
friends might b.t put to the test. (Loud laughtsr, in which
Lord Palmerston heartily jiitacd.)
Sir °sonar. Lewis having put several questions to tte
deputation, said that with regard to government prison,
Lord Palmerston had referred to the subject ; but that with
relation to county gaols and workhousee, the appointment
end payment of chaplains rested with the county magis-
trates mad boards of gu adieu*, who might not in all in-
Kamm be deposed to cony out a law, which he certainly
should say was not framed by the legislature in any spirit of
intolerance.
Mr. Moeortt reminded the tight bon. gentleman that the
question at issue wu not at all the payment of catholic chap-
Leine, but their official appointment and recognition.
Lord PALMERSTON having otmernd that the attliect
should have the best attention of the government,
The deputation thanked his lordship and withdrew.