The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-21 00:00:00

THE EXHIBITION of ALUMINIUM and at the fish inside it, and death to kill a sheep for
ALUMINIUM BRONZE. the sake of its skin." The noble lord said that we
29000 ScaPt iFone(fo‘einEa mNeSel al I aunsdt r
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Useful)
of these in-
teresting. Metals, ARE NOW ON VIEW lived in happier and more enlightened times, and
as for talking of conflicting interests, why, the
at
late Lord HERBERT had succeeded in doing
away with all distinctions between the
-
Protestant and Catholic chaplains in the
army, and the result was that each kept to his
own limits, and did not interfere with the other.
He concluded his impressive speech by stating that
on the House would rest a grave responsibility if
they rejected this measure, since if Catholics were
equal in the eyes of the law, why should they not
be in a matter of such vital importance. Mr. DIS-
RAELI spoke strongly in support of the bill, end
said the country would not be satisfied if they
came to a hasty conclusion, since the " objtctions
to the bill were net of a light character, and the
arguments in its favour recommended themselves
by an appeal not only to expediency but to jus-
tice." The right hon. gentleman said that if he
believed for a moment that the interests of the
Church of England would be injured by the
passing of this or any similar measure, no
one would oppose it more strongly than himself.
The existing privileges of the Church of England
are great and manifold, but this should be remem-
bered, that its privileges entirely in theory, and
greater still in practice, embody and represent
popular rights, and that is the source of their
strength ; but I cannot see see what popular right
is represented by the Church of England exercising
an arbitrary power to prevent a captive,
who is not in her communion, from en-
joying the consolations of his own religion."
This passage truly explains the whole state of the
case, and sets forward the absurdity of that exclu-
sive doctrine that would make a church more stable
end secure by raising round it a wall of prejudice,
and invoking for its attribute tha spirit of intolerance
and bigotry. Mr. DISRAELI said that he considered
the bill was framed and fitted not only to do jus-
tice to the Roman Catholic prisoners, but also
to the Protestant community, since we could
not justify a series of legislation which took
no care to improve a considerable amount
of the penal population of the country. He thus
concluded his impressive harangue by appealing to
the sense of right and justice, which is the ruling
spirit of this land, and the basis of our most lasting
institutions—" The speech of the right hon. gen-
tleman who moved the amendment would have been
an excellent speech before the passing of the Ro-
man Catholic Emancipation Bill and the repeal of
the Test and Corporation Act; but it will not do now.
And in my opinion the strength of the Church of
England does not depend upon devices of that kind,
nor does it depend upon the policy recommended by
the hon. gentleman, but on deeper ground, and on
principles which will have a much more true appli-
cation. It is the privilege of the Church of England
to represent popular rights. S 3 long as popular
rights exist national sympathy will always rally
round that great institution. But the power of the
Church of England and the Protestant feeling of
this country will not be maintained and supported
by acting in a manner inconsistent with all our
previous legislation; and not only shall we do so if
this bill be unsuccessful, but we place in the way of
a great scheme of ameliorating conduct towards all
our criminal population obstacles which will pre-
vent its entire fulfilment, and the consequences of
which must be injurious to society at large." This
speech was followed by one from Lord PALMERSTON,
who addressed the House in a brief form, bat dis-
played his usual ability in dealing with
difficult subjects such as that under con-
sideration. The noble lord stated with
true discrimiation that he considered this
question " not as one between Protestantism and
Catholicity, but as one between sound sense and
respectable and honourable prejudice.' This was
certainly clinching the matter in a decided tone. The
noble lord also added that there was no danger :o be
apprehended from Roman Catholic priests having
access to those who, as members of Parliament, were
entrusted with making the laws of the country
neither did they consider danger resulted from their
holding intercourse with soldiers bearing arms for
the service of the country, and to whom its saftty
was entrusted. Where then was the consistency
of declaring that mischief would ensue from a
priest visiting a man confined to a prison for
crimes, and whom the state was bound to do its ut
most to reform. The noble lord then impressively
urged the duty of giving a man, hardened by
crimes, the chance of improvement by hearing
advice from one " who comes to him with
all the sanction derived from early asso-
ciations, and from the doctrines incul-
cated into his mind at a time when he was
capable of receiving deep impressions." Then he
went on in a lighter strain to state that it was
just those prisoners who never made a special
request to see a priest who the most required
one, and cited the instance of a boy at school,
whom they might as well say need not be taught
at all because he did not like his lesson. Besides,
concluded the Noble Lord, there was " some-
thing ungenerous in taking advantage of the
compulsory seclusion of the prisoner to
make him swerve from the faith which
he professes." Notwithstanding a strong opposi-
tion, the bill vas carried by a majority of thirty ;
and while there were some notable instances of pre-
judice, it is eminently satisfactory to remark that the
leaders of the House were of accord. They can find
no better principle to uphold together, and no better
measure of which to make a common cause than one
which vindicates the vital breath and the native air
of our constitution, the spirit of tolerance, and the
cause of civil and religious liberty. It is to he
hoped that the earnest and eloquent speeches of
Lord P ALMERSToN and Mr. DISRAELI will influ-
ence their respective parties, and that the House
will long continue to approve of their magnanimous
and e'evated views. Some doubtless act from
strictly conscientious motives, but the larger num-
ber of the opponents of this and similar measures
seem to arrogate all right of judgment to them-
selves, and totallyrea dto
enlightenmentignore
tha ta
which
is
far-seeing
and widely-
s p
the true exponent of the religion of a
Christian. The greatest apostle of that
faith has taught us that when tongues shall cease
and prophecies fail and knowledge shall vanish
away, the spirit of charity shall endure, and those
Christians best deserve the name who are guided by
ies laws of love and follow its paths of peace. Civil
war is detrimental to the fortunes of any State ;
but religious dissensions are still more inimical and
injurious to the welfare and interests of the com-
munity, and should be avoided by every possible

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LUCIA DI LA MME MOOR.
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, -4,
et Lill ic V, Jiro' IPirdr,‘
‘1%.4)

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1863.

An animated debate took place last night on the
" Prison Ministers Bill." It is to be regretted that
so much intolerance yet prevails in many quarters,
but last night the influence of sectarian prejudice
Ives not suffered to prevail. Sir G. GREY, in pro-
3.osing the second reading was at great pains fully
to explain its purport, and if possible to do away
with the misconeeptions that had arisen on the
subject. He said that he respected the feeling of
those against the measure since he believed it was
founded on conscientious convictions, but he be-
lieved it to be totally unfounded and altogether
misplaced. In consequence of the great facilities
now afforded to the Irish for coming to this coun-
try, and the higher remuneration they had received,
there had been a very considerable increase in the
number of Roman Catholic prisoners. The special
clause that they now had in force, pro-
vided " That whenever any prisoner not being a
member of the Established Church made a special
request to be attended by a minister of his own
church, the visiting justices be empowered to allow
the attendance of such minister, tinder such regu-
lations as were consistent with the rules of
the prison." The right hon. baronet also ex-
plained that this concession did not in any
way interfere with the functions of the prison
chaplain, a member of the Established Church, who,
by virtue of his office, and in accordance with his
stipulated duties, had to visit every cell, and pre-
scribe the lessons taught and the books to be read,
which, in his opinion, were most conducive to moral
and religious instruction. In one case only were
prisoners left to the exclusive care of the ministers
of the church to which they belonged, and that was
when they were under sentence of death. The
plan now proposed was only in accordance with
that adopted in all military prisons. He asked
those gentlemen who opposed the bill to imagine
themselves in the minority in a Catholic country,
and to consider how they would feel if, numbered
among the criminals, they were debarred from all
intercourse with the ministers of their own religion, I
and left entirely under the care and instruction of
the priests. In Ireland, which was mainly a
Catholic country, the law made provision for the
instruction of prisoners. t, It provided for each
prison a Protestant chaplain of the Established
Church, though in some of the gaols there Was not
a Protestant prisoner, lie only asked the house to
make provision for regularly paid Roman Catholic
chaplains in such places as the visiting justices might
consider desirable, as he had shown that is only in
a few localities that prisoners of that persuasion
formed a large portion of the criminal population.
The last clause modified that part of the existing
law, which imposed upon Protestant chaplains the
duty of visiting all prisoners, and of selecting all
the books employed for the purpose of religions
instruction. Mr. LANGTON moved, as an amend-
ment, that the bill be read a second time
that day six months. He contended that
the measure was in every way a hurtful
one to the interests of the Established Church.
Mr. SELWYN was of opinion that the bill was not
required, and he considered it was oppposed to the
rights and principles of the Protestant Church, and
the rights of individual conscience. He thought
the bill embraced an entirely new principle,
and he therefore supported the amendment. Lord
EDWARD HOWARD made a temperate speech in
advocacy of the measure. He said that
those who referred to past legislation as
conclusive, and considered its statutes irre-
vocable, forgot that in those days a totally different
system had prevailed in all things. "Why, those
who spoke of the Act of GEORGE IV. es if it ought
never to be altered, forgot that at that time it was
death to break down the bank of a reservoir to get

means.

The Pays of last evening furnishes us with an
outline of the note sent by the French Cabinet to
St. Petersburg. It is worded with a careful in-
genuity, that commits the Imperial Government to
nothing, that pledges it to no particular course,
that leaves it free to open or shut the door of the
Temple of Janus, according to the necessities or the
' humour of the moment. According to the will of
the astute politician, who sways the destinies of
France, the elaborate generalities of the note in
question may develops into a European war, or
subside into the insignificance of a diplomatic pro-
test. Vox et praeterea nib,il may he the motto of