The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-18 00:00:00

last sentence was no doubt irresistible: There i
one other argument, however, which we have kept
to the lest as the gem of the whole speech. " It,
was impossible," he said, " to regard the proposed
as anything but an attempt to increase the number
of Roman Catholic subjects." We confess we are
at a loss to understand what this means; or how the
visits of Roman Catholic priests to Roman Catholic
prisoners would have any tendency to increase their
or any other species.
Would it have been credible before the event
that all this nonsense should have been not only
spoken, but listened to patiently- and approved
by 70 nangiatrates of the metropolitan county ?
They had before them two simple considera-
cions—one of common justice, the other of corn.
mon reason. The question of justice may he simply
proposed in the familiar consideratioo of aping us
neey would be 600 e by. If lII3UV hundreds of our
countrymen were constantly liable to be immured
in a Spanish prison, these seventy gentleman are
just those who would get up a great agitation and
go on deputations to Lord Palmerston to get
Protestant chaplains appointed to the Spanish,
gaols ; and they would think it monstrously
hard if the Pontifical Government refused to
allow the establishment of a Protestant clergy man
and a Protestant church at Rome. Yet no other
considerations whatever, except force, can be
brought to bear on the Spanish or Roman Govern-
merit which do not equally bear on the magistrates
of a county with a large number of Roman Catholic
prisoners. As to the consideration of reason, the
question is, as we have before put it, whether these
prisoners shall have any religious or moral influence
brought to bear on their minds at all. It is idle to
say they can have it if they like. It is much the
same thing as telling a man with hydrophobia that
he may drink water if he likes. The very men who
will not send for the priest are just those who want
him most. The opposing magistrates seemed to
speak of the matter on Thursday as though a minis-
ter were a sort of luxury which ought to be denied
to prisoners, in the same way as amusing books or
newspapers or venison, as though he were a sort of
dispenser of agreeable theological excitement or con-
troversial delicacies. But we appoint chaplains to
our gaols for the supposed purpose of initiating a
process of improvement by awakening in the minds
of prisoners religious and moral motives. He is sup-
posed to be as essential a part of the prison as
the cell, the rank, or the treadmill. His duty
and use are, so to say, to interpret to the convict
the external consequences of his crime, and force
them home on his conscience and reason. If th;.B
be necessary for Protestant prisoners, it is certainly
necessary for Roman Catholic prisoners ; and it is,
in fact, nothing short of a direct derelection of duty
when it is not provided. We hope the day is not
far off when the prejudices we have been exposing
—perhaps more foolish than bigoted—will yield to
these simple considerations, and when Roman
Catholic ministers will be regularly admitted, not
only to our gaols, but even, in spite of Sergeant
Payne's almost inhuman expression, to lunatic
asylums. That any English gentleman cou:d be
led to refuse to the unhappy inmates of county
lunatic asylums the chance of the comforting, and
therefore restoring, influence which the ministra-
tions of priests of their own religion might efford
is alone sufficient to condemn the spirit which
prompted the opposition of the Middlesex Magis•
trates.

GARIBALDI AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

(THIS DAY.)

The presentation of the trades' addiesses to
General Garibaldi having been arranged for to-
day, the early trains to the Crystal Palace were
crowded in an extraordinary manner. The gates
of the Palace were opened at nine o'clock, and
immediately after thousa ids of visitors arrived in
quick succession. The weather was all that could
be desired, and no doubt this greatly swelled the
number of those present. Nothing like an estimate
of the number present at the time of writing could
be
,formed, as every five minutes brought fresh,
acquisitions to the already enormous assemblage.

The proceeding will be as great a success as the
presentations of Saturday; and as that event will
be fouLd in another part of The Sun, it is only
necessary at present to say that the demonstration
of to-day was nearly in all respects similar, except
as to the filing past the General of the numerous
deputations, each of whom presented the address
of their respective bodies.

SYDENHAM, 12 o'clook.
BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

The attendance is beyond all precedent. The
interior of the building presents a sight of the
most extraordinary nature. Everything bids fair
to pass off with the greatest effect and order.

QUARTER PAST Two.
Attendance about 26,000. Not so many here as
expected.

HALF-PAST Two.

General just arrived. Received with enthusiasm.
Numbers greatly increased. Deputations filing
past.

Immediately on the arrival of General Garibaldi he was
conducted to a raised dais in front of the Handel Orchestra,
where he was received with the most vociferous cheering
and waving of hats and handkerchiefs. The reception was
far more demonstrative than on Saturday last, and after the
General had taken his seat two little children advanced
towards him, and presented him with bouquets of flowers.
The children received kisses in return for their presents,
and then, amidst the chorus of the Garibaldian Hymn, the
deputations filed before the General and presented the ad-
dresses of which they were the bearers.

There was but little attempt at decoration in the vicinity
of the orchestra. The Italian colours were displayed at
either side of the great organ, and in the front row of the
orchestra on either side of the General's chair were ranged a
number of the English Legion, the colours of which were
carried by Lieutenant Styles.

The General received the addresses in his usual kindly
manner, and nothing of the illness, under which it is said
he is labouring, was at all apparent.

His retirement from the Palace was a repetition of the
cheering that greeted his entrance.

Indisposition of Garibaldi.

General Garibaldi, we are informed, through a
letter addressed to us from Stafford House by
Signor Negretti, is not so well as his friends
would wish him, there being very little doubt
that the continued exertion of receiving so
many visits, and calling on so many friends, is
telling greatly on his health, much more than the
General himself likes to acknowledge.