American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-10-27
LIBERTY UNoN-Now FoREvER-oNE AND NsEpARABEE
GAN7OWN M0N0NGALA COUNTY, VA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER I 1856

manifest by experience that If the HOLY
! Bible translated iuto vulgar toDgue
were permitted indillerentIy to everybo-
dy, more evil than good would result,
on account of tho rashness of men, this
matter must be left to the judgment of
the bishop or the inqnisitor. who. upon
the advice of the curate or confessor.
may grant the reading of the Bible in
the vulgar tongue, translated by Caiho-
lie authors, to lhosewho shall knnw how
TO obtain from the reading, not harm but
an Increase of faith aud pie,y. This
permission must be had ia writing. Alb
solution of sins cannot be given To any
who, without such license, shall pre-
sume tu read or have in possession such
versions, nntilihe Bibles shall have been
surrendered toihe ordinary."- lie Saint
ConciIe de Irente, par M L'Abbe Das.
Sance Paris 1S42. Iag.t
Now we do think that a man who
dares not read the Bible without a writ
ter, permission from his priest, is not
quite free enough for an American Le-
gislator. Only think of the members of
the American Congress carrying with
K them To Washington written permis-
sion from some superstitious foreigner
or lordly Jesuit to read those Gospels
which we give to our children? lfa
man will not assert his right to read the
history of Jesus Christ, and the letters of
his apostles, will he assert the right to
do any thing else whic his SpiituaI m as
ters may fo,bidl We think not. ...
And now that this volume of the
"Council of Trent" is before us, author
lied by the Archbishop of Paris as cor
rect, perhaps we may find it in some au-
thorl'ative declaration upnn another
question 'hatis good deal mooted lust
now. The American people wish to
know whether it is true that women are
confined in converts against their will.
ihey have strong suspicious that they
are. The high walls and iron CRATES of
such establishments SAVIOR more ofkeep-
ing the women in than the world out
Sundry escaped nuns have declared that
force Is used to>prevent the exit of the
unfortunate girls who have been eutrap-
ped into these strong places. This is
matter OF deep concern. The people
are much excited about it, and Justly so.
The Catholic clergy and their organs
deny any such restraint. They say that
nuns may come out if they plaase. .. ..
J Now it is admitted on all hands that
the acts of the Council of Trent are the
rule of the Church. aud it is undoubted
iy the case that the American priests
receive its teachings and profess to o.
! hey its reguatiob3 What then saws the
Council of Trent about compelling nuns
To remain in converts? If we look 10
the nineteenth chapter of The a cts con.
corning Monks and Nuns, section 25.-
we hnd that, "a professed person, who.
without authority, shall have Quilted
his habit, shall not be allowed to plead
any reason whatever, but shall be com
PEELED To return To his monastery, and
o' punished as an apostate." II is also
dec:eed, THAT no monk who shall de-
sire to abandon his profession for any
cause, shall be listened to afor he shall
have beenfive years professed" So we
see; that nuns are not ouiy not pe,mii-
ted 10 abandon the convent and pro;es.
Sion' but 1t they ran away are to he for.
cioiy brought back and punished as a d.
Postates; and moreover, once in, they
can only get out during the first five
years, aud not then unless by consen,
OF me superior and ordinary. After 5
: years their complaints shall no, be lis
tened to at all. ~ young girl say of 20
years, is inveigled into convent. Du.
ring the proballuD, of course every thing
Is done 10 make her seclnsion agIcea.
Die. he veil once taken, aud however
she may repent her rash and foolish act
OF profession, she can only get oul bv
convincing her Keepers of The prop,ie.
~ "f permitting her 10 do SO! But when
she has reached twenty five even this
chance is takeu away. Wbhever indig.
mites may now be offered he,; whatever
wickedness she may now be permitted
to see unmasked, there is no escape.-
The doors are locked and barred: the
/ yard is enclosed with wall; the wind.
ows are secured with gratiDgs, the law
| never enters the prison; the grand inry
periodically visit other places ofconfno.
mebt, to hear complaints aud redress
wronga--they never enter the convent.
the young women immured there are
tho only persons in all the land for
whom the law has no protection; the
hdbcaS Corpus aud other ordinary forms
OF legal practice are nullities, So far as
these poor women are concerncd.--
There is no eye tD pity them, aud no
ear To hear their wrongs. There is po
observer To hear compaiots for ,lem--
IL aboninable that such ty,anDy shO'd
tie tolerated in oar land Why do not
| our aJDIitipuiSts ylJ,, nrc o., y,.Ir,,.1, Al,