St. Mary's beacon., 1858-07-01


The Albany correspondent of the NeW~Fork
Herald writes the following particulars Il the
application Of Bishop Hughes before tie Alba
ny Grand Jury -
''The venerable Bishop Hughes appeared
before the Grand Jury, the 18th, and entered
complaint against the Albany Statesman
newxpaper, far publishing certs;n articles nm
der the head Of .Ctfcte Oi Jesus" which the
Bishup states were false and Iibelluls. He was
questioned very closely by the jury IS C
whether there existed any secret societies
among the Catholics Of the Kind alluded 10. or
any others. which were kept hidden from the
mass Ut Catholics. He replied that there might
De secrets amongst the Shamrock, the Hibcrnian.
and other benevolent institutions. which none
but members Of good standing are cngnizant at:
but as for the Catholic Church. he declared
that, as q religious body, nothing Of the kind
existed on could be tolerated.
The Bishop urged the necessity Of indictine
che. PROJECTORS Of the paper, not on account
Of any pecuniary consideration. but in order
that they should be brought before Court Of
Justice. and the question be fairly and impar-
tall: tested whether such secrdf sncietv ex-
listed within the Roman Catholic Church He
desired the Grand Inquest would intimate
measures 81 that the public might become Ia
formed whether himself or others had ben
lil'elled or not BY means Of the publications
which he produced before them. The Bish-
OPS complaint was couched in the most smooth
and respectful style Of language; his manner
cool, collected and digni6ed, displaying no rin-
due emotion of feeling nor any evident. Almise
to infict penalty upon the alleged liEeIIefs On
account Of any personal grievance. kfter the
Bishop left the jury room q consultation was
held and long discussion ensued. There was
hardly any disagreement A. to the msrits Of
the application for an indictment against DR.
Thompson, D. w. Littlcohn aud James b.
Swain.
The pGin, discussed was, that whether the
county Of Albany should be sad,iled with the
expense Of the trial of libel Of such magni-
tude when the parties complainant and alleged
aggressors, arc non-reSidents of the county
Bishop Hughes residing in the city Of New
York, Mr. Lttlejohn in Oswego, DIR. Thomp-
son, on Staten Island, and Dir. Swain at Sing
Sing. The witnesses also were supposed to
reside in New York; as the alleged libellous
articles were dated from that city. And as
the articles were copied into the New York
Express, the majority of the Grand Jury de-
cided that they would not suffer the county of
Albany TO bear the heavy expense, and that
before e New York jury, where the parties
and witnesses were more accessible % the courts.
The indistment was therefore refused Upon
n Resembling, after dinner, the Foreman of
the Grand Jury was handed note from Bish-
OPP Hughes He understood that the jury at
their morning session refused to find bill ON
account Of the expense which would accrue to
the county Of Albany. He then offered, in
case an indictment was found, to give the
county ample security for the expenses that
might accrue in the prosecution of the libel.
and would Immediately place the papers of
indemnifcation in The hands Of the District
Attorney. This proposition somewhat startled
a large portion of the jury One member pro-
posed NJ an offset 10 the Bishops proposition
to make inquiry of Swain, Thompson & Co.
how much they were willing to pay to the
county tn prevent the finding Of indictments.
A Reconsideration of the vote was taken, and
the jury again voted, but the result was sub
stantially 40 before. One member only chang
ed his vote, after the Bishop proposed to m
demnify the county. Il is quite probable now
that New York jury will be called upon to
ASCERTAIN whether there IL a secrce,z SUBSTITUTION
within the Catholic Church, Of which Bishop
Hughes is cognizant, dcnominated the "Grcle
Of Jesus"