The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-14 00:00:00

CRIES FROM A CON VENT.

(From the Downshire Protestant.)
We copy from our contemporary, the Irish Times, the
following. letter :
"TO THE EDITOR OF THE IRISH TIMES.
" November 2, 1859.
" Sir,—l think it right to draw your attention, as a
public journalist, to an occurrence of a most mysterious
ind which took place a day or two ago. On the evening
pf Sunday last,'at about seven o'clock, as I was passing
the corner of the Baggot-street Convent, which looks hate
Herbert-street, dreadful screams were heard coming from
an open window of the nunnery. The screams proceeded
from a female, -who ,was crying, Oh I mercy, mercy I they
are murdering me.' 'Her figure appeared for a moment at
the window, which was then closed by some one from
'behind ; and the remainder of this extraordinary and dread-
ful scene was hidden from view.

"A lady and gentleman, accompanied by a little child,
were passing at the time, and the child, turning to the gen-
tleman, saia, Oh, papa, they are murdering the poor
woman.' The gentleman replied, It is very dreadful,' or
words to that effect.

" I haya heard, on good authority, that numerous dark
cells have been made under this Baggot-street Convent (for
what purpose I know not), and as the scene which I have
described was, to say the very least of it, a most extraor-
dinary one, I trust to your calling the immediate attention
of the authorities to the subject, as it is a case, at all events,
demanding an immediate investigation.
" I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
" I enclose my card." " A PASSER-BT."

Here, through this open window, tho reader gets a
hasty glimpse of the horrors to which- these poor incar-
cerated women are subjected; in this individual shriek, in
this piteous cry for mercy, he obtains a hint of the fear-
ful history of many a helpless victim. " Oh, mercy,
mercy,'' shriek the poor creature in her agony ; the tones
of her voice are borne to the passer-by for a moment, the
convent window is closed, and there remains for tho poor
suffer3r such mercy as that which extorted that fearful cry
from her lips.
And the passer-by, hearing those excruciating screams,
looks up and shudders—that is all. The father says to his
child, whose heart is wrung at the sound of mortal agony
coming through that open convent window—." It is very
dreadful," and he passes on. What more can. he do ?
Those walls are sacred. No polluting foot must pass the
convent doors. And, although the heart of manhood may
swell to bursting at the sound of woman's woe, the agony
must be endured ; the woman must suffer ; and no help,
no word of solace or sympathy must reach her ears, for
the hduho'wherein she is tormented, wounded, violated,
murdered, is a "holy" house, a sacred retreat, a haven
from the storms of the world !

The convent is situated in one of the most respectable
quarters of Dublin, and holds within its walls a large num-
ber of those beguiled and entrapped unfortunates who are
known as nuns. We state •n good authority that it is
nothing unusual to hear the most appalling and heartrend-
ing cries passing out of the open casements of thistell uppri
earth. Many persons have heard them again and again,
women and men—the former with creeping flesh,latter
with horror, disgust, indignation, and despair.
where For a convent is the only place on earth tl4°
a woman
may be wronged with impunity, whey
may be tortured without que.stin, her delicate frame
where her moral nature
may be violated, her.vforoeLuy instincts trampled upon, her
very life sacrificed vl..`inout the protection of any law, where
she is ditpose3.,
to every infamy that the licence of lust may
suggest, and unbounded and irresponsible power may carry
into execution, no matter how or by what means.
Surely this is a terrible state of affairs. Surely it is high
time that some remedy were applied—high time that the
Legislature saw to it, that a slavery worse than any that
ever fettered the limbs and tortured the body of the negro
was abolished; time that British eul?jects, for no crime
whatever, should be released from a bondage more hateful
than any upon earth, and time that it be ascertained whether
there are not many hundreds and thousands of unwilling
prisoners within convent walls and convent dungeons, cut
off from the sweet air of heaven, and condemned against
their will to life-long tortures and indignities.
The poor women who enter these abodes of woe are
either religious fanatics, to whom the odours of sanctity
are more precious than life and liberty, or else they are
women with blighted affections who,. having proved the
falsity of earthly love seek for comfort in what they
believe to be a heavenly. The former hope to elevate them -
selves above the condition of our fallen huinanity ; hope by
the practiceuf rigorous mortificatiOnS of the flash, to reach
saintly spiritual altitudes, and believe that by trampling on
the nature which God has given them, with all its appe-
tencies, aptitudes, and correlative functions they shall be
able to reach a highet' life. Of course they are puffed up
with ideas of self-righteousness : but their folly should not
bring with it such terrible retribution as that which is in-
flicted by merciless and brutal priests. And the second class
of victims, who have fallen into the fatal error of mistaking
disappointment for religion, wounded vanity for saintly apti-
tudes, and petulance with the world for heavenly yearnings,
and so have scornfully cast aside the duties which naturally
devolve on women, and endeavour to take upon them the yoke
of ",saints"—even these, fatal as is their mistake, should not
be abandoned by the world, and left to the tender mercies
of their tormentors.
Sad and revolting scenes, dreadful cruelties, terrible tra-
gedies are enacted within the sealed walls of these convents,
which would startle the public were their dungeons flung
open to the light of day, and their doings exposed to public
scrutiny.
Occasional shrieks break on the outer air as indica-
tions of the life that is led- by those who dwell within ;
but those who hear them can render no assistance, nor
even offer the poor solace of a kindly word. The busy,
cheerful, bustling, gossiping world outside has nothing
whatever to do with the abominations, the secret woe, the
shrinking pollution under the name of sanctity, the dark-
ness, the silence, and the death of the world within those
convent walls.

There is no law. for the poor persecuted victims who
have once entered there. They cannot appeal to the:sym-
pathies of Britons, and say, with the slave, that an touch-
ing British soil they are free, for they are bor-nd body and
soul in the most hateful and servile of al se:Jdome, and for
them there is no deliverance.
Is this to be for ever ? Are the cries of their great
agony to go up to God day after day, and month after
month, unregarded by men, while " liberal" statesmen en-
large on the "illiberality" of those who would inquire
into the condition of these white slaves, and liberate those
who are pining for the free air, and for that constitutional
protection to which all civilised beings are entitled ?

FROM THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT

WHITEHALL, DEC. 10.
The Queen has been pleased, by letters patent under the
Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, to grant unto George Edward Adams, Barrister-
at-Law, the office of Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms,
vacant by the promotion of Edward Stephen Dendy, Esq.)
to the office of Chester Herald.
DOWNING-STREET, DEC. 12.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Robert Mollison
Cutler, Alexander Keith, Henry G. Pineo, William
M'Keen, Richard A. M`Heffey, and John Holmes, to be
Members,. of the Legislatiire Council of the Province of
Nova Scotia.

FORT;;IGN-OFFICE, EC.
The Qdee ha&been pleased to approve ofl3 Mr. Giacomo
Pim as Consul, at Dublin for his Majesty the King of Sar-
dinia.

• WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, DEC. 13.
18th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Lieutenant William
Pemberton Hesketh to be Adjutant, vice Saunders, who
resigns the Adjutantcy only.
' Royal Artillery—Assistant-Surgeon William Ramsay
Steuart, from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon; Assis-
tant-Surgeon Alexander Richmond, from the Staff, to be
Assistant-Surgeon.
Ist Regithent of Foot—Lieutenant Frederick J. Ponsonby
Hill, to be Captain, by purchase, vice Gregory, who re•
tires.
6th Foot—Lieutenant Bentinek L. Cumberland, from the
75th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Allfrey, who exchanges;
Ensign Frederick Helyar, from the 82d Foot, to be En-
sign , vice Merchant, who exchanges.
Bth Foot—Ensign William Bannatyne to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice H. E. Fitz Gerald, who retires.
12th Foot—Hamilton John Wallace, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Hopper, who retires.
20th Foot—Captain Augustus Riversdale Warren to be
Major, by purchase, vice Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel
Butler, who retires ; Lieutenant George Gethin to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Warren ; Ensign Jas. Smyth
to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice. Gethin.
21st Foot—Lieutenant Robert Beatty Henderson to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Smelt, who retires ; Ensign
James Browne to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Hen-
derson.
23d Foot—Ensign John Henry Tulloeh to be Lieutenant
, by purchase, vice Lawrence, promoted ; Ensign Gerald
George Liddell to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Gre-
gorie, promoted; Ensign Samuel William Ralph Sadler
to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Knight, promoted.
25th Foot—Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Timbrell
Allan, from the Met Foot, to be Lieutenant-Colonel,
'without purcha-se ; Captain B enry Torrens Walker to be
Major, without purchaso ; Major Mawdistly Gausson
Best, from half-pay Unattached, to be Major; Cap-
tain George Skene Hallowes, from the 18th
Foot, to be Captain, vice Walker ; Lieutenant John
Richard Harvey, to be Captain, without purchase ;
Lieutenant John O'nea to be Captain, without purchase;
Lieutenant John Wilkinson, from the 81st Foot, to bo
Captain; without purchase; Lieutenant Henry Helsham,
from the 53d Foot, to be Captain, without purchase ;
Lieutenant Arthur Sisson Cooper, from the 27th Foot,
to be Captain, without purchase ; Lieutenant 'Thomas
Edward Gordon, from the 61st Foot, to be Captain, with-
out purchase ; Lieut. E. G. 'Horne from the 48th Foot,
to be Captain, without purchase; Lieut. A. S. Cameron,
from the- 72d Foot, to be Captain, without purchase ;
Lieutenant Frederick Augustus Magrath, from the 84th
Foot, to be Captain, without purchase ; Lieutenant
George Augustus Elliott, from the 33d Foot, to be Lieu-
tenant, vice Harvey; Ensign Francis George Coleridge,
from the 42d Foot, to be Lieutenant, without purchase,
vice O'llea ; Surgeon Charles Robert Robinson, from
the Staff, to be Surgeon • Assistant-Surgeon James
Gideon Creasy, from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon;
Assistant-Surgeon Edward Corrigan Markey, from the
Staff, to be Assistant •Surgeon.
29th Foot—Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel John Ross Wheeler
to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without purchase, vice Brevet-
Colonel Stewart, retired on full-pay; Captain Lindsay
Farrington to be Maj Cir, without purchase., vice
Wheeler ; Lieutenant John James Hood Gordon to be
Captain, without purchase, vice Farrington.
41st Foot—Lieutenant Robert Enstace Maude to bo Cap •
tain, by purchase, vice Hamilton, who retires ; Ensign
Montagu Thomas Ball Mitchell to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Maude.
52d Foot—Lieutenant Alexander Hope Graves to be Cap-
tain, without purchase, vice Dick, deceased ; EnSign S.
Lott Pidsley to be Lieutenant 'without purchase, vice
Graves; Ensign Francis .Edward Dewier, from the 23d
Foot, to be Ensign. vice ridsley.
07th Foot—Surgeon Jones Lamprey, 141.8., from the Staff,
to be Surgeon, vice Parr, who exchanges.
69th Foot—Lieut. James Warren Hastings Anderson to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Biggs, who retires; Ensign
Pearson Thomas Beanies to b;Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Anderson,

73d Foot—Ensign Archibald- .Collings Fall Armstrong to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Gibaut, promoted ;
Sydenham Clitherow McGill, Gent., to be Ensign, by
' purchase, vice Armstrong.
76th Foot—Lieut.
Lieut. Irving Stoning- Allfrey, from the 6th
Foot, to bo Lieutenant, vice Cumberland, who ex-
changes.
76th_Foot—Ensign Edward Le Breton Butler to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Field, who retires.
82t1 Foot—Ensign Charles Henry, Merchant, from the 6th
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Helyar, who exchanges.
Bsth Foot—Surgeon Archibald Henry Fraser, from the
Staff, to be Surgeon, vice Dunlop, Who exchanges.
Ist West India Regiment—Ensign Jose-ph Bourke to be
`Lieutenant, by parchase, vice Mackenzie, promoted.

HOSPITAL STAFF. • • -
Surgeon John Dunlop, M.D., from the 88th Foot, to be
Surgeon, vice Fraser, who exchanges. -
Surgeon Thomas Parr, from the 67th Foot, to be Surgeon,
vice Lamprey, who exchanges.
Assistant-Surgeon William Skeen,.M.D., to be Surgeon,
vice Surgeon-Major Peter Henry Roe, placed upon half-
pay.

BREVET.
Brevet-Major Gra3me Alex. Lockhart, 78th Foot, to be
Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army.
Major. John Archibald Ballard, Bombay Engineers, to
be Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army.
Captain George Lynedock Carmichael, 95th Foot, to be
Major in the Army.

ADMIRALTY, DEC. 8.
Corps of Royal Marines—First Lieutenant and Adjutant
John Frederick Hawkey to be Captain, vice Tirapson, de-
ceased; Second Lieutenant Arthur French to be First
Lieutenant, vice Hawkey, promoted.
COMMISSIONS BY LORDS-LIEUTENANT.
County of Middlesex—David Salomons, Esq., MY.,
Alderman of the city of London, to be Deputy-Lieutenant.
The Essex Rifles Militia—Frederick Oldham Yeo to bo
Lieutenant, vise Hugh Pearce Pearson.
Kent Volunteer Rifles-sth Company—Edward Plum- ,
mer, Esq., to be Captain ; Henry George Austin, Gent., to
be Lieutenant ; Herbert Tritton Sankey, Gent., to be En
sin,
Kent Volunteer Rifles, 6th Company—George Austin,
Esq., to be Captain ; Allen Fielding, Gent., to be Lieute•
nant ; James Delmar, junr., Gent., to be Ensign; Charlesb:
Holttum, Esq., to be Honorary Surgeon of the sth and 6t
Companies.
Light Infantry Battalion of the Royal Sussex Militia--
Charles Francis Browne, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Samuel
' S. Hire, promoted.
2d Sussex Rifle Volunteer Corps—George Meek, Bab?
to be Captain.
4th Company of Lancashire Artillery Volunteers—lira'
Reynolds, Esq., to be Captain; Joseph Stringfellow, Gent.,
to be First Lieutenant.
13th Company of Lancashire Rifle Volunteers—Williani
M'lnroy, Esq., to be Captain • George Bretherton. Barron,
.
Gent., to be Lieutenant; John Augustine Robinson) °wit"
to be Ensign.
Ist East York Artillery Volunteers—Burlington Cool'
pany—Bonjamin Blaydes Haworth, Esq., to be Captain;
Edward Ridsdale Harding, Esq , to be First-Lieutenant ;
Robert Crowe, Esq ,to be &icon's' Lieutenant. • to be
Cambridgeshire Militia—Ensign George Ringo
Lieutenant. Cisrard
4th Regiment of WestYorkMilitia—Lieutenant E
Wilkes Waud to be Captain, vice James Ormerod
worth, who retires.
BANKRUPTCIES ANNULLED.
Ex
James Gillham, boot and•shoe manufacturer,
William Iredale, horse dealer, Ranskill, Nottinghnir
shire. eter.

BANKRUPTS.
Rol-Art Hockley, victualler, Crisp-street, Poplar.
dames Beaty, draper, Longtown, Cumberland.
William Forrester, iron merchant, Hanley, Staffordshire'
Henry Harris, mantle manufacturer, Cheapside, City!
Charles J3nes' sail maker, Gloucester.
SCOTCH BANKRUPTS.
Hugh M‘Dougall, market gardener, Leith.
Swan. and M'Kitterick, d-apers, Dumfries.
John Kindness, baker, Aberdeen.
James Forbes, corn merchant, Inverness.
John M'Connechy, or M'Connechie, hotel keeper, Gla
gow.