The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

In a letter dated Nov. 2, addressel to a Worces-
tershire newspaper, Sir John Pakington vindicates
the administration of the Patriotic fund from the
attacks of Mr. Acton, a Roman Catholic gentleman,
at the recent county meeting. " The accusation
is, that the noblemen and gentlemen whom it pleased
the Queen to associate with the Prince Consort for
the administration of a noble public charity have
abused their trust, violated their duty, aid disre-
garded the most obvious dictatesof honour; and that
their motive for so acting has been the hope of con-
verting to Protestantism some few dozen poor Roman
Catholic children of soldiers and sailors, who died
in the service of their country during the late war
with Russia. As this charge has been seriously
made, I suppose I must seriously notice it,
though I confess it-seems t 3 be so extravagant
that I. find it difficult to treat it with gravity.
But the facts are more important than the imputed
motive. Mr. Acton refers to the commissioners
having paid certain sums to the Wellington Col-
lege School, to the Royal Naval School, and to
several other similar institutions connected with
the army and navy, to enable us to send to them a
given number of orphans ; and he then add., How
much has been given to any one Catholic institu-
tion ? Not one shilling.' The answer is that there
are no Roman Catholic institutions of this descrip.
'ion. Mr. Aoton complains that The Sisters of
Mercy of St. Clare and other, religious rtonunuLtes
in Dublin offered their services, at. small expense,
for the education of female orphans, and yet their
services were refused.' Their services were not re-
fused ; Mr. Acton has been altogether misinformed
upon this point. Mr. Acton states that 700 chil-
dren are under instruction, supported by the fund,
and then asks, If those children are Protestants,
where are the Catholics These words suggest an
inference, and are therefore not so easy to de,l with
distinctly as specific allegations. I suppose Mr.
Acton to allude to the fact that there are about 700
children in Protestant asylums, and only 25-Roman.
Catholic asylums. The answer is, that the number
of children in asylums depends very much upon
the motherg, with whom has been left the right to
choose ; indeed, there is no power vested in the
Commissioners to deprive them of that right.
There are few children from Ireland in as3lums,
for two reasons ; first, food is cheap, and the
mothers Prefer keeping their children at home
anti receiving the allowance. This operates equally
in Scotland, where there are only 20 iu asylums ;
and we find the same inclination in England when
the mothers have the means of supporting their
children ; second, there are very few children above
the age o seven in Ireland or in Scotland, or in-
deed among the line regimilnts generally. There
only remains Mr. Acton's complaint that the ad- _
mission of
establ sliments was delayed by twelve months' cor-
re threea nda boysll toao onertsooffftrhe
frivolous
oßlooums
onb
j Catholict
n.
Thes nce
poexdpelanna'tio' n is that we have always thought
it
our duty to reserve the right of inspecting schoos
to which we send children. This was acceded to by
the principal of that establishment, but he .stated
ae
cio
that the school was about to pass into other hands,
and he could not answer for them. Under these
circumstances we delayed until we obtained an
agreement to these conditions from the lay brothers
who have since taken charge of the school. It
rests with the mothers to direct what the religious
teaching of their children shall be. I trust I have
slid enough ita show that the suspicions entertained
by the Roman Catholic body y do not rest upon any
reasonable found.ttiou. In dealing with so large
a number of applicants accidental errors
bu havein
occurred ;if so, let them be corrected, of
submit that it is now Incumbent
tentional unfairness there has beenupon Archbishop
opprobrious charges either to su
to retract them."
Cullen and others who have brought
b tauftoi nartwoonaet;hdea.tmliheosre

A14131A
MqC
of this AfiNrm'S
was held on
A.
meetingMssn s. CLAYTON TtrhoeN
creditorsaivp
on
Thursday, at which it transpired that the liabilities
amount to 21,0001., while the assets somewhat exceed
5,0001. This, however, is exclusive of their premises at
Birkenhead, in respect of which the lease presents some
difficulties. The meeting Was adjourned to the 16th
inst., to eaable the firm, with the assistance of friends,
to make some definite proposition.
Messrs. Clayton
and Wiieverigan d conche e t
ing and graving operations very extensive shipbnild•
+,,..1
atAnn._..,.,k, at Birkenhead, and their
"