Litchfield enquirer., 1835-07-23
From .h. Bosto. R.,;giOu, Magusin..

quence Oi the narrative OI Miss Reed, 0escrlD- ing the discipline and customs in the Charles town convent, these institutions are now at- tracting unusual attention. For several years they have been rapidly Increasing throughout our. country, and soliciting the. countenance and patronage of the PrOtestant community. They are imported to our shores by ROmish Priests from southern Europe, and the reve- nues of the Pope are layished iH sustaining them. Not a few of, the Protestant citizens. of this country, unite with the Catholic Priests in lauding them as valuable additions to the literary institutions of our land. .- s The American community must decide up- 1 on this question. The subject before us, is moi whether the Catholic religion shall be fot- erated in America-that question is already decided by our constitution. Throughout the whole length and breadth oflbe land, there Is almost entire nnaainpisys If s.pinipns hat iliere stenld he DO power butrthe power s,f arsai-5 meHt to combat errors. whether political or religious. Here let mind be pntrammefell.-- Let the Catholic press pour out her ,loudest thunders against Protestant errors and sins. :. And let the Protestant press echo back these thunders. Thsquestion ofreligioms tolerasion. is nut before us. Upon that subject there is
 hardly dissenting voice tO be found in the land.
 But as to Nunneries-shail we patronize them shall we nurtuye them hy olr appro- bation, and send our Aaughtefs t6 their se- cluded chambers Let us supposd that half dozen young lawyers, in the city df Boston. should make vow that they never would be marrieA Suppose they so through the city and find half dozen young ladies who make similar VOW. These young geKtlelnen find a retired situation. to which they remove these young ladies. They surround this dwell ling wi;h all the charms ofnature and of art. Gravelled walks encircle it. Luxurious groves and rosy bowers invite to soft enjoy ment.- High walls guard these sacred enclosures from the, eye of curiosity, and the retired a. partments are eifsctually excluded from the unwelcome intrusion of meddlesome world. Here, surrounded with every charm which wealth can give. with beauty for the eye, and
 melody for the ear. and fragance borne on every breeze, the privileged occupants pass
 their lives. under VOW of chastity, poverfy,
 and obedience. ,ss,r, ..!g @ 6.fA.t'
 Now what would the good people of Bos. ton say of this plan And why has not a
 Boston lawyer Ss good right to such m es- tablishment as Catholic Priest? Suppose the young gentlemen at Andover, or Cam bridge, should propose such scheme foF the patronage of the community why there is not ausditos in the city of Boston. who would not raise his hands and his eyes in unuaterable astOnishment at the iinputeaces which would dare to dream of such asplan. But why does 1t make any difference whether these men come GoSs.s sAnduser or Ireland--from Cam bridge or RDinef May nOtan American cjt- izen be entitled to all the privileges which fur signers may enjcy7 tss Such establishments are of course expen. siye. and the unmarried men who sustain them must devise means to raise the necessa- " money. They look suspicious. Some plan must be adopted to avert suspicion.- What plan Is more feasible than to attach school to the establishment. The nuns can as well as not spend portioa of their time io instruction i: the tuition of the pupils will aid to support the establishment; and if young la- dies can be obtained as pupils, from rcspecta-
 ble families. 1t will aid to screen the sacred sis ters from the whispers of islander, and the re- proaches of the prOfane.
 1 It is amusing to think of the reception that young lawyer would receive, if, sftsr beiog
 made the father cOniessor of such an establish
 ment, he should call upon the gentlemen Of Boston to engage their daughters as pupils of
 this mysterious and unexp xplorabls retreat.--
 It would be hard for many persons to return I as mild answer to such request. The mo-
 tiyes which actuate these young lawyers. or
 young theological students, might be perfect
 iy; good. They might really think that such an institution would promote the glory of Gvd, and the welfare ofmsn. They might be pure in heart, and in conducts; and yet there would
 be an ipdecency, a bold indscency in the thing Eitself. It would be doing yiolence to those laws of mOdesiy and prOpriety, which must exist in every well regulated community. It
 would be couviing temptation, and studiously gathering all the aIlurements for sin.
 r. As long as human nature and human pas
 sion continue as now, such institutions mast
 inevitably become cOrrUpt., It matters not
 how pure may be tue motives of those who originally founded them. Conscientious me,l
 in the fervor 0f misguided zeal may for . time watch over them. But corruption is
 ilieir strong and iFrepftssible tendency. In ap
 abode 60 princely, the vow of property is |
 burIssque. h groves and bowers Of such VI. iuptuous bsauty, and in chainbers of such un. searchable exclusion, the VOW rof chastity seems little better than mockery. And alas
 history too plainly tells that the friar may bs [ "joIly old sOul.' and that the nunnery may
 be his harens. q '&
 We therefore say that such an instit0tiof Is an indectncy. no matter by whom pr fot } V hst purpose it is founded. We say thst ineither lawyers nor merchants. nor priests, have d right under the vOw of chastity to es!
 tsblish so mystsrioas a retreat for young Ia. ldjes. The opportunity for Qppvession and Vssha rAf Issnn ne