The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1868-02-09
CATHOLIC PRISONERS m ENGLAND.

I
pertains to individual rights. II such a
state of things existed in Italy all England
would he aroused by the indignant de-
n,rnciations of Earl Russell and Mr.. Glad
stone, calling for n prompt pt-Eefcrm IN the
name, of~humanity. Exeter Hall wouid
spe,lr forth its usual TRADE of malignant
vitnperation, and its co-laborers Of tho New
York Tabernacle,. headed by Beecher and
Greeley, wo1ldl ljoin tho c,;orns with tho
exclamation, Arewe living in the nine
teenth century :" Bnt>eccurring in en-
hghtened, Protestant England every 90
vice that ingenuity can invent Tan DO
sought to explain away what no rights
minded man can read without (blushing for
his species. Here it is NOT merely injury to
the body, but it ia sought to kill the soul
by=el =elepriying it zef1that means established
God himse1f for the spiritual advance
mcnt of HIS children. Four hundred Cath
olics >afe incarceated without any religious
piflistrations being provided by the Gov
crnment. Catholic priest offers his ser-
vices gratis, and he is only allowed to min
ister to them through crate window
/ One-third of that number of Protestants
are provided with chaplain at salary OF
S25OO per year, and all the eonveniences OF
a formal chapel Well may We exclaim,
~ 6,an such things be in the nineteenth
| century.?"
The exposure of this disgraceful state of
things WAS due to the exertions OF Mt.
Maguire, whom our readers will remember
as the honored guest Of some Of our prom
inent citizens last winter:
In the House of COmmone Mr.. Maguire
said Sir, l. venture to ask the attention of
the House whileI briefly refer to q case Of
great hardship inflicted on the most misera-
=ble class in the community, and which is
perpetuated in direct violation of the spirit
/ and meaning of an act of parliament which
was passed with the expressed intention of
putting an end to causes of complaint as to
| the treatment of Catholic prisoners. My at
tention has been specially directed to an ad-
mirable article that appeared IN the PaH
Mall Gazette of the 10Th of November, in
reference to the religious instruction OF the
Catholic prisoners in Tothill Fields of Cor
rection; and cannot but express my admi-
ration of tho tone and temper of the article,
aud remark that were such subjects
dealt with in the same manner by other
English journals, abuses of the nature COM
planned of would : Don be at snend. (Hear,
hear.) AZ l understand the state of the
case, it is this--there are in this House OF
Correction GOO prisoners-100 of whom are
Protestant, and 200 are Catholic. The Prot
, estants enjoy the advantage of the spiritual
ministrations of a chaplain. who has saia'
ry of f4OO, and who commands the services
of three teachers of his persuasion. Now
sir, if the Protestant chaplain had twenty
instead of three teachers TO assist him in the
o performance of his duties, should not com
. plains on the contrary, should rejoice tina
nku -tu.ra
: rendered more efficient and therefore sue
,f cessft,l But how isit with the two hundret
Il Catholic prisoners The Catholic clergy
n man, whose services are entirely gratuit
i ous, is only allowed tn see his unhapp
I" flock one at time, when he unusually com
: the cell. He is etallowed to assemble an
: number of them-even two or three-at tn
= same time; and thus the advantage whic
- results IRON an appealsto the feelings of
s. congregation by a clergyman is altogethe
t, denied to the unhappy Catholic inmates {
l. thus singly, he can only visit each prisone
Il once in the course of four or Ave week
t, There is no public worship, no public il
" struction. Bad as this state Of things is 4
IN this moment, it was worse some time sine
of There is now II room in which the pricet ca
Is instruct tho prisoner; but he ia not permit
q ted to see or speak with moro than one at
p- time.
~, - Another clergyman. man of distii
n guished birth and attainniouts, who ha
a also volunteered his services, had no oth'
lit place to instruct the prisoners, or hear COZ
so iessions, than one of the ordinary cell
nn which might have been occupied the ds
On before by prisoner; and such was Il
result alike of his zeal and the hardship
he which he was subjected, that his heal
e, broke down and he WAS compelled to abal
d. don his Iahors in the prison. Happily,
nd has been succeeded by gentleman of mo
,d r"lylst constitution, TO whom such trea
he msnt is a matter of comparative indiffe
a ence. The practical operation of tn
e. fts,amefml system is, that the Cathol
Is, prisoners are denied the benefit of all r
II, lIglous teaching, anu consequently in
p they go out of the prison as bad, If n
". worse than when they came in.zIf til
~ were not a Christian country, and If we d