The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-04-03 00:00:00

rnF. nal .SHAM

FANATICISM AND CRUELTY.

[mow LA stINEISE IRAK; AIM]
It it not by vain declamation, or by any process of
reasoniost, of which tbo principles can be attacked or
the sousegotneris denied ; it is by facts well anthill-
tieetrd, altogether inconte.tible, that I Intend to
prove to those Frenchmen who are this friends of she
lows, of liberty, and of their country, that the re-ac-
tion of 1813 was in no respect preferable to the reign
of terror in 1793, and that the 9th Tbormidor and
the btb Sept. delivered France from the very same
enemies (birthed only by different awes.
Embarrassed in this solectios of proofs, for the de-
tail of which many volumes would not suffice, I
content mist!! with two 'samples : the first will ex-
hibit rilligioas fanaticism in open molt against the
established Arstborities, which, indeed, it still openly
brtves, breaking asunder all she ties by which fami.
lies are bound, and as in the dais of dragooning,
tearing childreur from the arms of their father.,
who in vain 'acids against this violalipo alba most
sacred rights.
The second will alarm hearts even the vast herd-
need its hatred, by • spectacle the writ inhuman that
party spirit has, perhaps, ever given set the world.
if I should confine myself in the simple recital of
'events, when I ea able, under the goarantee of the
most respectable authorities, upon the testimony of
the most authentic writing., to name persons -red
places, it is because the !ossifies, of a philomphicril
writer ought to be confined in the avenging of public
morals: the punishment of individaal crimes belongs
Ito the tribunals.

The Protestant principal of one of the first cons.
Inertial houses of Bourdeses, M. G. had an only
daughter, on whom rested all his happiness and his
hopes. Mar►iedl to a Gothalie wife, he had consent-
ed that his daeghter should be educated in the re.
ligion of her mother, ender the care of her spiritual
director, M. Les —, Vicar of St. Lewis. AL G.
had op►netl his house en this priest, and lavished on
him all that respect and all that confidence of which
be then believed him worthy, but of which the Vicar
was meditating so creel an shove.
All the powers that fanaticism postmen, of Wee-
ties, of prejudice, and of terror, were put in practice
to raise to enthusiasm the ardent soul of the young
Victoire (this is the name of the daughter of M. G.),
by stilling in her !hope tender family affections is
which her infancy lied found so many charms. Ea.
ample has more force over the stied of women then
precept : a yoeng Lady, Sophia U—, was there-
fore introduced by the Confessor to his yeeng peni-
tent. of whom she soon became the inseparable friend.
Vicioire, drawn insensibly into the snare laid for
her with so much pftfidy, consented to the sort of
elopement proposed to her, and was conducted, un-
known to her permits, to a prisate house, which
the Vicar had taken in the Kee St. Etienne, parish
of it. fur the purpose of there clandestinely
founding a convent of nuns, the governs!~ of
which be reserved to himself, and where Vicinira and
Sophia remained in cnefinement two months, without
any one being able le guess whet they had done with
theeiselver.

This evest plunged M. G. and his pines net
to the most protested despair. After having address-'
ed melees petitions to the Archbishop, the rather had
recourse lei the Civil Authority, who speedily disco-
vered the mysterious retreat of the young fugitive.— .
The Police went to the house, het their proceed*s
bad bees foreseen. Mademoiselle G. had again taken •
flight, and doting nearly a whole year she succeeded
In secreting herself from ell their researches. Her
onforienste parents resorted to the humblest suppli-
cations, bet this beloved and cherished child refused
even am interview with them at the house of a person '
to he selected by herself. it was finally with great
troeble that M. Raves, as Comm! to M. G. and sap.;
ported by M. the Prefect, obtained a reunion of the ;
family at the Archbishop's, whither Mademoiselle;
Vicioirecaree,attended by her Adrocate,ll.Mar tigne, .
It would be dillicult to conceive a scene more'
heart-rending than that produced by the assemblage
of thus family. Vicinity coldly disavowed the ere-;
jest reproaches by which some persons hod embra-
cement' to calonanbrie her respectable fathe*—she
equally acknowledged all the beneath she had re-
ceived from the inesbeestible tenderness of her pa-
rents, bet she Gard their prayers and saw their tears
flee with isulifference. tier father, her mother, her
grandmother, 87 years of age, beseeched her in vein
to mum to her poncesl roof, where she would be
free in live ender the roles of her society. Her ne-
ther fell at her feet, pressed her knees, bathed them
is tears, and conjured her with uplifted hands, not
to pet to death her to whom she owed he. esisteoce.
This fanatic daughter obstioately persisted io a parri-
cidal Wesel. " The mats of God," replied she, with.
cut emotion, " has told me, that I ought to quit my
father and my mother to follow Jesus Christ." Iler
mother fainted, and she seised the opportunity to
escape. Let us hasten to say that bis Rays! Highness
the Deka d'Angeolesee has forbidden this illegal So-
ciety, composed of three or four young girls, of
whom the Vicar lee .-- is almoner, to bear the as.
gest name of Maria Theresa, under the protection
of which this clandeiliee Meese had bees pet.
M. the Prefect has, throeghout the affair, fulfilled
all the duties which his 'iteration imposed upon him.
lie has proposed to M. G. to employ force to re-
place his daughter in his hands; but this worthy
citizen, in declining to melee use of a power which
both natant and thole. confer on him, has been de-
sires, of giving • testimonial of his respect for re-
ligion, which might be compromised by such a seas.
Idol its the person of one of its Ministers.
No article of the Charter, no law has revoked the
abolition of religious hornet, and yet they ere every
where risrog again ender the very eyes of oar An-
, domes, who tolerate them et least, if they do not
!(steer them. In the department of the Gironde,
one single Ecclesiastic, the Cote Sept., bus brooded
Net feast* Societies, the first at Cadillsck, the
second at St. Mitailf., arid two others in the interior
, of the city of Berndt's*. It would be in vain for the
foamier. of cause religious houses to attempt to avail
themselves of the exception which the law makes in
I of the institution of the Grey Sisters. There
pious women, dedicated by their vows to the relief
of the sick, neither have nor will have tiny thing in
common with these penitent sisters, whose object in
solocati-g their pipits is only to multiply the dopes,
! the victims, err the iustrements of fanaticism.