The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-13 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.

Sir.,-I beg to forward to you enclosed a copy of
a letter on the subject of Mrs. M'Dermott's case,
which I have forwarded to-day to Mr. Selfe, the
magistrate, at the Westminster Police Court.--I
am, sir, your obedient servant,
J. D. DALGAIRNS.
The Oratory, London, S.W., Jan. 12.

The Oratory, London, S.W., Jan. 12.

Sir,—As by your letter of the 10th inst. you have de-
clined to allow " any verbal statement to be made in the
Police Court," the only course open to me is, as you your-
self have suggested, to make a statement in writing to
which, according to your promise, I doubt not that you
will give the same publicity as you have given to the Rev-
Frederick Blunt's letter. I conceive that lam bound to
make this statement, and that you are bound to receive it
for the following reasons :

With a candour which does you honour you have said
that "Father Bowden's story is true in every respect, as
far as he has stated that it was the girl's own act, and no
suggestion on his part." You add that "there is not the
slightest pretence for saying that she has been coerced or
kidnapped into this institution." You sent her back there
yourself, and you advised the mother to leave her there,
stating that there are strong reasons for her being there,
which you cannot communicate to the mother. Such a
testimony from a man in your position, who has seen the
girl in private, where she could be under no supposed
fear of the fathers," dispenses me from the necessity of
so far defending the conduct of Father Bowden.
You, however, attach great blame to him for not having
informed the mother of the girl's determination, and for
not having asked her consent. You also say that " You do
not believe what Father Bowden said respecting Mrs.
M'Dermott's character from mere hearsay." Now, I quite
allow that I am bound to show cause for this part of his
conduct.

To advise a child to quit her parent's roof is a very grave
act; as a general rule it would undoubtedly be unlawful;
and you would have a perfect right to blame Father Bow-
den unless he can prove that that parent is totally un-
worthy to have the care of her child. This is what I feel
I am bound to prove, and what I called upon you to give
me an opportunity of publicly proving when I wrote to
you. I conceive that you are bound to hear me. I still
think that your proper course would have been to have
allowed me to bring forward witnesses. In the open court
you have attacked a clergyman, and evoked a cry of in-
dignation against him from a considerable• and dangerous
class of his countrymen. In the open court you should
hear his justification. You administered to him what you
yourself acknowledged to be an extra-legal, though very
severe, rebuke. You have no right now to fall back upon
your legal character and refuse to hear his justification, on
the plea that you have no case before you. You have
publicly constituted him a culprit. In public you should
hear his defence. I, however, waive this point, and only
leave it to you to give this letter such publicity as your
sense of justice will dictate.
I now proceed to bring proof that Mrs. M'Dermott is not
a fit person to have the charge of her children. That proof
will be found in the records of your own court, where Mrs.
M'Dermott was sentenced to hard labour in the House of
Correction for seven days for shameful neglect of her chil-
dren. I quote from the West Middlesex Advertiser, N0v.12,
1859 :

"Dreadful Destitution and Neglect.—At the last meet-
ing of the board of guardians for the parish of St. Luke,
Chelsea, the master of the workhouse reported that the
police had brought to the house three children, of the ages
of ten, seven, and five years. They had been found on
Sunday morning in an empty house in Camera-place,
King's-road. There was nothing in the house but an old
broken table, a broken chair, a coal-sack for a bed, no
firing, and no food. The poor children had nothing upon
them but a few filthy rags, and the youngest was all but
naked. Their heads were full of vermin, and the heads of the
two younger were absolutely eaten into holes. A sister
came to the workhouse on Sunday evening with a note from
their mother, demanding that they should be given up to
her, but Mr. Sutton, the master, refused to let them go ex-
cept their mother came herself for them. On Monday morn-
ing Mr. Sutton took them to the Westminster Police-court,
and the magistrate, on seeing their condition, granted a
warrant for the apprehension of the mother for neglecting
them. She was taken before the magistrate the same day,
and remanded to the following day, when she was severely
reprimanded, and committed to the House of Correction for
seven days with hard labour. We have been informed that
the woman's name is M'Dermott. Her husband and the
father of the poor children, was a blind man, and, it is said,
was originally a steward of Lord Durham."
Such is the woman whom the papers have represented
as a-sorrowing mother sitting at home in desolate anxiety
on account of the absence of a daughter whom a Catholic
priest had persuaded to enter into a conventual establish-
ment. And where was that mother living at the time that
her deserted children were starving in abject misery ? I
have no enmity against Mrs. M'Dermott, and I have no
wish to blacken her character. If, however, you desire it,
I can bring forward the inspector of police who was con-
cerned in her apprehension, who can tell you on his oath
where he found her.
In my last interview with you I informed you that, not
being personally employed in the parish, I did not know
anything about the woman's character myself, but that I
should inquire among the fathers what was known to.ju,s-
tify the opinion which I had often heard expressed by
them, that she was most thoroughly untrustworthy. I
have now given you a portion of the results of my inquiry.
With such antecedents as these it is not surprising that the
girl, negleCted as she was by her mother, should be, as you
know, in the greatest danger.
I think you will allow that even granting that, as:you
think, it might have been better for Father Bowden to tell the
mother where her daughter had gone, this is an exceptional
case, and there is a great deal to be said on the other side.
He had, at all events, some reason for supposing that the
mother would not have allowed the daughter to go to the
House of Refuge. Nay, lam not altogether without hope
that Mr. Blunt himself would see the propriety of the girl's
following the advice even of a Catholic priest who, like
Father Charles Bowden, is gratuitously spending his life
and fortune in the service of the poor, rather than that of
a mother who has been convicted by the laws of her
country of shamefully neglecting her children. lam not
even certain that, if he had known the facts which you
with perfect propriety have withheld from the mother,
and, with the benevolence which characterises him, had
wished to take measures to save the poor girl's imperilled
virtue, he would have chosen that mother as his confidante.
Perhaps he would have hesitated before he took up the
defence of this woman if he had known that, since October
last, she has written a begging letter to this very Father
Charles Bowden whom she is now accusing, while she was
receiving relief from the reverend gentleman himself.
On the whole, sir, with these facts before them, I do not
doubt that the only public about whose good opinion we
need care, yourself inclusive, will acquit Father Charles
Bowden of all indiscretion save that of putting it into your
power to rate him so severely, although you had not the
slightest jurisdiction over him.
Thanking you for your courtesy to myself personally,
and for your fairness during a part of the proceedings,
remain, sir, yours faithfully,

J. D. DILGAIIISB.
a O. sere, Esq., Tireattinster Police-court.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)

SPAIN.

MADRID, JAN. 13

The Novedades of to-day contains a remarkable
article approving the abandonment of Santo
Domingo, on account of the annexation not having
been the spontaneous desire of the inhabitants.

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, JAN. 13. ,

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Tasmanian,
with the above mails, passed the Needles at 12.5

p.m. to-day.

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 4.

The scheme of the General Credit Company, for
the consolidation of the intended debt, has been
under the further consideration of the Grand Vizier
and the Minister of Finance daring the week, with,
it is said, a strong probability of its being enter-
tained by the Government.

An important measure, both in an economical
and military point of view, has just been adopted
by the Porte. It grants leave of absence, during
six months of the year, to all soldiers who have
served a sufficient time to aquire the experience
and practice necessary f)r military duties.
An important saving—which forms one of
the temporary economies promised in the
the report on the budget—will thus be effected.
Better men will be secured for the army now that
the soldiers will be able for some months in the year
to enjoy the comforts of home. The suspension of
the SUBSCRIPTION conscription—a measure an-
nounced some time ago—is a corollary to the regu-
ltations. The order provides that all soldiers and
non-commissioned officers, who after having attained 1
the necessary degree of skill in their military drill
and instruction may desire to spend the winter
season in their homes, shall be permitted to
leave their regiments during that period of
the year in which the rigours of the season
prevent the practice of military exercise. Or-
ders to this effect have been forwarded
to the commanders of the different corps, restric-
tions being made with regard to some garrisons of
exceptional importance—such as those of Belgrade,
Candia, Tripoli, of Barbary, and the frontier of
Kolnstrin and Birana. The troops stationed in the
latter places will be changed regularly every two
years, and then only will they be able to take ad-
vantage of the new regulations ; the commanders
may also apply the same restriction to the troops
stationed in any place they may consider to be in
an exceptional state.

The conditions attached to the leave of absence
thus accorded are as follows :

Soldiers on leave join their regiments on the first
summons 11y forced marches.
They must on no account leave the Sandjak in
which their homes are situated.

Those not complying with the summons will be
treated as deserters, will be punished as such with
the utmost rigour of the law, and be compelled to
begin their military service anew.
Those whose term of service expires during their
absence may, on receiving their certificate, be placed
on the reserve, and go where they please. Non-
commissioned officers on leave may take their due
promotion notwithstanding.
Soldiers committing offences whilst on leave will
be subject to the civil law.

In consequence of this regulation the Government
will have no need of recruits during the present
year. Orders have therefore been given to stop the
conscription.