Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-12-12

once closed upon the nuns, shut them in from
all the devices of society for the protection of
person.. When nun is removed nobody
knows it when she dies nobody necessarily
knows it-there are no coroners' inquests in
nunneries.
We believe that in all Catholic countries the
civil power does keep the nuns under its pro-
lection. Even where the spiritual power of
the priests is strongest, the governments eXer-
else discipline over the converts. They do
not permit priests TO take inWhom they please
and to do with them they please. Yet if a
word is said here about putting these places
under control of law, even similar control to
TO that exercised in countries professedly Ro-
man Catholic, cry is raised as bitter and inn
precatory as though we proposed to abolish
religious privileges.
We are convinced thatthe only thing neccs-
sary to be done, in order to procure the pro-
lection of the law for inmates Of converts, is
to obtain the consent of the legislatures TO
consider whether such protection is now af-
forded. Ii it is--if females in converts are
equally safe from abuse as wives and daugh-
tiers in the houses of our ctiZens-weli ; if not
they should be made So This is not religi-
GUS question, but question OF personal liber-
ty. There is not Catholic in the land whose
daughter is liable to be received into q con-
vent who has not paternal interest in the
enactment of such laws as will be operative
within the walls Of the seclusion house, to pro-
tect that child no longer protected by him.
There is not Catholic in the land but has an
interest in preventing houses of religious re-
tirement from being made places of immortality.
We do not wish legal impediments to be
thrown in the way CT women who may choose
to enter converts. 1t is free country. If
they are unfortunate enough to make choice
of a life so unnatural, unphilosophical, and ir-
religious, the law may not properly interfere.
But the law should provide that none but the
willing shall enter these gloomy abOdes, and
it should take care that none but the willing
should remain there. All this can be accom-
plished without trenching at all upon any re-
Iigious right. We would suggest
l. That a woman resolved TO enter a convent
shall give notice in person Of such intention to
the Orphans Court, COR court whatever be the
uame,) which is charged with the care of or
phans. If it be found that such an applicant
is of sound mind, and legally OF adult
age, the court should enter her name upon q
record kept for that purpose.
,. Should the woman have property, the
court should take charge OF it, paving the in
come to her or her order. But the property
should not be bestowed upon the convent in
such a manner as to prevent the resumption,
at the option Of the donor.
g. 1t should be the duty Of The Judges Of
the Court to see and converse with their ward
in convent several times daring the year, to
watch over her person, and see that no injury
be done her Of course they would see that
she did not remain moment longer than she
might desire.
4. At the expiration of every year, from the
time of retirement, the nun should personally
appear before the Court, and renew her decla-
ration Of purpose TO remain-
5. In case Of desire TO remove to another
convent, provision must be made that the
ward be placed under the protection of law
wherever she might go.
@. In case OF death of the ward, immediate
notice should be given to the Court.
Z. Nuns bro't from other countries, to go be-
fore the Court and place themselves under its
protection, as in the case of those processing.
Now. we ask any Catholic whether there is
any thing in these provisions TO interfere with
religious rights Is there anything in them
which the priests themselves ought not to de-
sire, II converts are what they assert them to
be ? Such laws as these wonld at once remove
all suspicion from the public mind as TO the
character OF convent life, and consequently
would be the surest defence Of converts from
violence. They would give peace to the un-
quiet mind Of many sincere Catholic
whose sister or daughter has gone from under
his protection, and is now in the hands Of
those whom he does not know, and liable at
any time to be removed he knew not whittier.
What pyssible objection can be made to these
regulations! We can imagine but one, and
that one is powerful. The priests would con-
slider the usefulness of converts at an end if
the law could enter at Will. They would ra-
ther have no converts at all, and therefore they
viii everywhere raise the cry OF persecution,
as though, 10 protect women from them
they are protected even in Catholic countries,
outrage upon their prescriptive rights.
Sooner or later something of the kind viii be
done, or worse will be done. The next cry of
:'Help help from 4 convent in Baltimore,
Will find response very different from the
last. The Catholics may now secure all the
religious rights involved in the convent sys-
ten, and secure them forever. Should they
fOOlshly contend for rights unknown to hu-
manity, law, or rclgion-the right to scpa-
rate 4 woman at once from the protection Of
family and law, and keep her in subjection
without accountability or restraint-they may
have occasion to regret the outrage they are
daily committing, and continually multiply
ing against the understanding and heart of the
American people. The American flag must
float over the convent of the priest as well rs
over the house Of the citizen. We would have
it float every where in peace the emblem OF
law, the assurance of protection Christian
.ldUocate and Journal.
THE KANSAS DIFFICULTIEs.-It appears from
our dispatches. that we are having Il hot po-
litical stew in Kansas at last. The story. as
it comes to us, is this:-That three free soilers
went to settlers house, named Coleman, who
is a pro-slayery man, and ordered him off,
They were armed, and gave the man only ten
minutes to leave it. He left for a short time,
but returned well armed. He met one Of the
three men, who renewed his threats, and at
to shoot Coleman, but his gun miss
ed fire. Coleman then shot his assailant, who
died Immediately. Coleman gave himself up
for trial.
\ mob of abolitionsts, armed with Sharpe's
rifles, repaired to Coleman's house, driviAg
his wife and children off, burned his house,
and ordered other pro-savery men to leave,
and burned their houses. Deputy Marshal
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