The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-18 00:00:00

CLERK OF THE GRAND JURY.

Mr. P. LAURIE, after a few prefatory observations, moved
the appointment by this Court of a clerk to attend the Grand
Jury, in the same manner as had been done at the Court of
Queen's Bench and the Central Criminal Court.
Mr. BROUGHTON seconded the motion, which, after a few
words from the Chairman and Sir J. WILLIAMS, was agreed
to, with only one dissentient voice.

ADMISSION OF CATHOLIC LADIES TO VISIT CATHOLIC FEMALES

IN THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.

Mr. TeLx observed, that in again submitting his motion for
the admission of Catholic ladies to visit Catholic females in
the House of Correction, he begged to disclaim anything like
want of courtesy to those gentleman who had before opposed
a somewhat similar motion. He was one of those persons who
thought that great benefit had been derived from the instruc-
tion given by ladies to female prisoners, and a fortiori it was
of much greater benefit when there was a community of feeling
between the instructress and the instructed. All Catholic
disabilities had now been done away by the Legislature, and
therefore he did not see what valid reason could be assigned
for not admitting ladies of that religion to visit and instruct
the females of their own persuasion who were in the House of
Correction. He thought that equal justice should be ex-
tended to persons of all religious denominations, and that it
would savour strongly of the persecution of the sixteenth or
seventeenth century, if the Catholics were refused religious
instruction in their own form. Their habits of life may have
alienated the Catholics like others from their religious duties,
but still they might be reclaimed by receiving religious in-
struction. The Honourable Gentleman concluded by moving
" That the Visiting Justices of the House of Correction be
instructed to include Roman Catholic ladies as well as Pro-
testants in their selections of ladies to visit the female pri-
soners."
Sir J. S. LILLIE seconded the motion, which was opposed
in very short speeches by the Dean of Carlisle, as ladies
would not be sufficiently under the restraint of the Visiting
Justices as to the introduction of improper books ; by Mr.
Strachan, as both dangerous and totally uncalled for ; by Mr.
Pownal, as- the permission would go to sanction a religion
which he believed to be unscriptural ; and to a certain extent
by Colonel Wood, who wished for time to see what the Le-
gislature would do with the Prison Bill of last year, which
went to permit Catholic Chaplains to attend the different
prisons in which Catholics were confined, and if that measure
passed, then he would admit Catholic ladies, but not otherwise.
Mr. WITIIAM supported the motion.
Mr. Ter.x having briefly replied, the question was put,
when there appeared for the motion, 13, and against it, 33.

The guards of the coaches which arrived in time on
Wednesday evening state that there had been a very consider-
able fall of snow during the previous night, accompanied
with frost, so as in some cases seriously to impede the pro.
gress of their vehicles. In the metropolis there was only
one slight shower of snow, between eight and nine o'clock,
which, however, did not remain long on the ground, the
temperature being very mild for the season.