The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-19 00:00:00

A NIIORT WAY WITH Pir:ANs.

THE Gin ernor of Mountjoy Prison appears to
have a happy method of enforcing the truths of
Christianity. According to the Earl of MAYO'S
statement last night, " JOHN BROPHY, Glint PAGAN
" O'LEARY, was received into the Mountjoy
" Prison about three years ago, and on the Go-
" vernor inquiring, in the usual manlier, what
" was the religion of the convict, tho latter stated
" he was of no religion whatever, and that he
" never attended any place of worship. He added
" that he was a Pagan, and refused to be instructed
" in religion 1 any kind. The director, being a
" military man, ordered him to select his religion
" immediately. The governor states that he told
" the prisoner what was required of him, but he
" objected to go to any place of worship, as he
" did not believe in any religion. Ho was, there-
" fore, put on penal diet for three days. Two
" days afterwards—namely, on the 4th of August 11
" —he was removed to the hospital, and after he
" left the hospital he was again placed on penal
" diet for three days, at the expiration of which
" time he selected the Roman Catholic religion."
The fact of the Governor being a military man
is given as a reason for these remarkable
proceedings. But are all military men equally
particular f To be ordered to select a creed out
of three, like picking a convict coat out of the
prison-stock, would be startling to many a man of less
sensitive conscience than poor PAGAN O'LEARY.
it is, however, useful to remark that the governor's
" short way" was eminently successful. But that
the prisoner fell ill and had to be removed to the
}units] after two days' spiritual discipline in the
form of penal diet, his conversion would doubtless
have taken place earlier. As it was, a second
course of penal diet, administered while the patient
was still weak from recent illness, had a thoroughly
satisfactory effect. O'Lasiar became a Roman
Catholic. Five days of short commons, with an
interval of pills' and potions, effected more than all
the arguments of parson, priest, and presbyter.
From not believing fn any religion, the convict
became a devout profane°, of the religion
which calls most larZtelP upon the belief.
Driven from his stroolghold of 11°°Ptaism
by the governor's gentle •ession, he showed
his gratitude by adopting % Wet which rs.
garb mere modern Christianity es infidel tad
proffine. Invested with full bound-irsir

IT is a curious coincidence that the latest
ministerial crisis and her MaJzsrv's departure for
Scotland are published in the same day's papers.
Mr. DISRAELI'S opportunities of personally con-
sulting his SOVEREIGN are more limited than
ever owing to the increased distance of
the Qr anti. It would have been fortu-
nate both for the Government and ' the
country if her MAJESTYS visit to Balmoral
could have been deferred. Questions may
arise at any moment upon which it is
constitutionally necessary that the Sovereign
should be advised. Neither the telegraph, nor the
post, nor the presence of a single Minister of
State is sufficient for this purpose. Emergencies
may arise at any moment in which a prompt con-
! sultation with the QUEEN would be of the highest
value ; and with a full appreciation of the
touching royal attachment to the Highland home,
there are few people who will not wish that the
present visit had been postponed. Whatever may
be the result of last night's proceedings, everyonel
would be glad to know her Marrarr was on the
spot.