The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-04-01 00:00:00

MORE ABOUT MISS• TALBOT'S CASE,

The following is a copy of the letter written by gisf
Talbot to the Lord Chancellor, and referred to in the
first of Mr. Berkeley's affidavits

" "Tuesday, Feb. 18, Taunton.;.
My Lord,—You will, of course; see what I have writtenl.gr,
answer to Mr. Craven Berkeley's false statements, and I,
sure in such a case you will think it only just for me to express
myself what is the pure truth, as I have done. It is scarce
credible how a gentleman can act as Mr. Craven Berkeley has
done ; for, I assure you, my Lord, he was down here at the
convent himself on the 14th of February. He then asked roe
a numerous set form of questions, as if he had some object is
view, but wished to get a little information beforehand; and'
at his departure, he said he should come again, and bring with
him a little half-sister of mine. No opposition was made, for.
how could we- know how Mr. C. Berkeley intended to act!.
But, after the manner in which he has spoken of the convent
at Taunton, where I have spent the happiest days of my life,
and where I have experienced for nine years the most unchang"
ing kindness—how could I read his petition, and not feel a
just indignation at such conduct? So that it is now, mv lord,
my own free and deliberate wish never again to see Mr. ewe?.
Berkeley. Should I meet him anywhere, he would surely not
be the first to address me, and, most assuredly, I should not'
He has disgraced himself for ever in my eyes, and I should
think in the eyes of every just and reasonable person. Bebe°
me, my lord, it is I alone in this house who have shown nai„
feeling of indignation ; for all under this roof are too good to let
any feeling rise, but that which every one must naturally feel
compassionyourlord sh for so s:t
liberty
tayntdo
ohsovntoou
whomrabl ea
youmanp.
not feel to have said more than I ought. I may have spoken
strongly of Mr. C. Berkeley's conduct, but I have not passel
the limits of truth and justice. I must add, that every Ivor
of this letter is from myself. I am alone while writing it ; and,
therefore, no one can allege that I have been prompted by al
one: every word is the result of my own thoughts and
reflection. leaTseh.is lelttdeor

" Mr. Norris, whom I saw on Monday, told me of your Lord'
ship's wish that I should go up t i town again and see a little
more of the world.. It will cost me much certainly to leave
Taunton, where are all my dearest and truest friends; but your
Lordship acts for the best, and I would not therefore 011
any account oppose-your wishes. After Ea3ter I shall te ream'
to yield myself, and again enter a world whose charms I can
never value.

"Thanking your Lordship for the kind interest you have
taken in my welfare.—l remain, yours respectfully,
"AUGUSTA•TALBOT."
The Times of yesterday in further commenting on this
case, makes the following remarks on the above letter:
—" We trust it is by this time clearly enough understood
that the effect of a nun's profession is to transfer her
whole property to the community of which,she may fortis
part. This appeared in the course of the Blackrock inves'
tigation, in which it was stated that the two nuns were ag
completely compelled to sign as though a pistol had been
held to their heads. Furthermore the Solicitor-General
on Saturday called attention to the following rule of the,
Council of Trent, which provides that the property c.
all religious men and women ought not to be held by theme
separately or privately, but be handed over to the SuPe;
rior or Superioress to be incorporated with the property e'
the convent.' The practice of the Roman Uhurch has
variably been in consonance rather with this Tridentine
canon than with the one quoted by our valuable corres•
pendent, Dr. Heathen. But, after all, It I were
to waste discussion upon such a point, While she remain-
ed exposed to conventual influences Miss Talbot was as
blind a tool in the hands of those by whom she was Or:
rounded as the staff in a Jesuit's grasp. The best el'
dence of the fact is to be found in a letter at the conclusion
of our Chancery report of this day. It is written osten;
siblyby Miss Talbot to the Lord Chancellor; but—Pee
wordh a
bde lairt
st etheen
so
tuagmhpt
oo f d
toh
ew dirty s
in"truai
whom she was surrounded. She is made to write t":
every word of the letter is from herself. 'I am along
Egivrierl—y
while writing it, and therefore no one can allege that,
have been prompted by any one ; every, word is PI
result of my own thoughts and reflections.' We do re.,
suppose that Miss Jerningham was actually standing o're'l
the young lady in the attitude of a flagellant. The 0:
plaint is that the letter was written from anunnery at alit
The date is the proof of the duresse. Such a letter as this
the composition-of a young English girl of nineteen Yea'
of age ! The opening of it would do cred.t to a hard;
headed writer to the Signet, and its conclusion is et
gross a piece of Jesuitry as was ever turned nu,,,
from the walls of a nunnery. 'lt will cost me much
leave Taunton, where are all my best and dear°
friends ; but your lordship acts for the best, and there;
gpunesri tiers
obrii
fore I would not on any account oppose Yelici
wish. After Easter I shall be ready to yield myself,, '
again enter a world whose charms I cannot value.' 6
"ra,
know not how much it will cost Miss Talbot to leave
Taunton, but to have remained there would most as'
suredly have cost her exactly £85,000. How does the
conclusion of this letter tally with the first attempt tut
persuade the Chancellor that Miss Talbot was residing
the Convent for a temporary purpose, entirely discos'
nected with any idea of her ultimate profession ?
truth is, that before any stir was made in the matter the
plan was to represent Miss Talbot to her Protestant re:
latives in. the character of a postulant, in order to remosv
her from their influence. Next, when an application S.
made to the Chancellor, it was found impossible to bra/'
the consequences of so audacious an attempt to embezZ,',B
the property of a ward of Court—the postulant pro hac
vice subsided into the boarder. But Dr. Hendren's ,1!1:
fortunate letters had appeared in The Times; but X,ar"
Craven Berkeley had too accurately remembered his coo:
versation with Miss Jerningham. Miss Talbot was the:
set forth as a sort of postulant unattached ;' as one
who had simply assumed the name in (1,1