The Irish standard., 1888-02-18
MOST REV. DR.. NULTY.
The Bishop of Meaths scathing Casti-
cation Of the Castle
Gang.
THE BRUTAL COERCION JA|LERS
The Prisons Board Unjustiiably Impeded
the Most R3v. DR.. i'll the Exercise
Of His Divine Right.

the Most Rev. DR.. i'll the Exercise
! of His Divine Right.
The Nest Rev. DR.. Nulty, Bishop OF
Meath, writes as follows to the editor
of the Dublin Freeman:
EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE,
Mullingar, Jan. IL
My DEAR S1R-A novel and rather
painful incident has just come to my
knowledge, in which, indeed, I am per-
sonally concerned. but which neverthe-
less appears to me such fragrant vi la.
tion of religious freedom and liberty
that, though the waole responsibility
lies with the Prisons Board, the act of
which complain, though coming from
them, eau hardly be censured with too
much severity. When the state of my
health had so far improved that [ felt
able to undertake journey from here
to Tulamore. [ resolved at once to pay
visit not only to the political prison
ers, but to all prisoners, without dis
junction, now in confinement in the
Jail of that town. But though { under
stood might be admitted to see seme
of the prisoners. yet knew that with
out "a pass" or permission from the
Prisons Board, would not be allowed
to visit them all. I accordingly for
warded, through Very Rev. DIR. Meal.
roy, an application to the Prisons
Board, in which I solicited the re-
quired ''pass' in the most respectful
and deferential terms / could COM
mand consistently with my own
dignity. I informed the Board that the
prisoners in Tullamore Jail were all
members OF my flock, and that as their
chief pastor I had a Divine right and
was under Divine precept to visit
them, especially in seasons Of excep-
tional trouble and sorrow, and more
particularly still during their con6ne-
rnent in prison, as our Lord Him self
had expressly recommended. Mine,
therefore, was not visit Of idle Gu
riosity or of frivolous, unnecessary per-
sonal qualification, but one Of Divine
necessity and duty, and consequently L
claimed the privilege Of being allowed
to make it.
| assured the board that would not
abuse that privilege either through ig-
norance OF wilful. deliberate design.
I { added that T. had passed seventeen
years OF the best part Of my life as
principal acting chaplain in two differ
ent jails. I spent weeks and months
and years mingling with prisoners of
every class, preaching to them. lectur-
ing them, instructing, consoling chem.
and hearing their confes sions whilst in
health, and administering to them the
last Sacraments when they were diving.
There was no phase Of prison life to
which I was a stranger or with which /
was not quite familiar; l was there.
fore thoroughly aware of all the obliga.
tions with which visitor to a Jail
could in honor OF conscience be bound.
I added, further, that my Office and
character offered as safe and as reli~
eble a guarantee of my good behavior
during NV visit as the rank of magis.
trate or Lord Mayor gave for the civil
dignitaries who were freely admitted
every day. Whilst in honest compli-
ance with my obligations, [ was fully
determined to see aud to speak with all
the prisoners without distinction--I do
not deny that my visit was specially IL
tended for the political prisoners. Ev-
cry prisoner in the jail had unquestion-
able claims On my pathies-on all
the solace and alienation OF his suffer
iDgs that could administer to him; on
all the words Of comfort, consolation
and encouragement that I could ad-
dress to him. But the political prison.
ers had more than ordinary claims on
roy pastoral solicitude and sympathy.
The solitude and lonliness Of con1ne-
ment, the discomforts, the privations,
the meagre fare, the cold. cheerless
cells, and other forms Of suffering in
seperable from prison life, are cumula-
lively, at least, excessively painful and
irksome. But a long experience has
taught me that when the average class
of prisoners got used to these discom-
forts, when they become familiar with
these privations. they become in some
degree reconciled to them-they cease
to feel them SO keenly, and they pass
quiet lightly over them. But the case
is quite the reverse with educated, en-
lightened. and intelligent men-with
men of high intellectual culture. and of
refined and sensitive feelingsr To sub
mitwith christian patience and resig-
nation to the painful sense Of the;lone-
illness, solitude, and inaction inspired
by enforced confinement, heightened