The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1848-02-15 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DENUNCIATIONS AT THE ALTAR.—The English reader will hardly feel surprise at the announcement, that a case or two are about to come under the cognisance of our law courts, in which denunciations by Roman Catholic priests from the altar will form the subject of investigation. I understand that "a bad case" of this description, though one which, as yet, has not all been brought before the public through the press or parliament, has recently been submitted to most eminent counsel, who have advised that a prosecution will lie, and if the case be proved that it will be successful. Also, that it ought to be prosecuted, not by the crown, but by the party denounced. The object of the attack was in this case a nobleman of whig principles and very liberal tendencies, who has property in a north-western and an eastern county. I do not say positively that this prosecution will proceed, but recent developements from Rome incline me to the belief that such a course may be deemed necessary.—Dublin Correspondent of the Daily News. The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith at Rome, that is, the Pope, has issued a Rescript to " some if not all of the Catholic Prelates in Ireland," requiring information as to whether the statements of the public journals respecting denunciations of individuals from the altar are true,—discountenancing the crime of murder, and entreating the Catholic clergy to seek only the things of Jesus Christ and abstain from secular or worldly affairs, as much as possible. Dr. O'Higgins, the Romish Bishop, has addressed a letter to Rome, in which he asserts that the Pope has been deceived by the notorious calumnies of Lord Minto and the English press. He further requests that the Cardinal may be informed that, " under the name of legal right, the body of landlords in Ireland are literally starving the poor," without any remonstrance from the Lord Lieutenant, or " his employer," Lord John Russell. He recommends that an Italian Cardinal be sent over by Rome to see and inquire into the facts of the case.  A curious scene is reported at a recent sessions in Mayo, when the solicitor for one Anthony Gavan, being tried for sheep stealing, cross-examined the prosecutor M'Hale, who admitted that he (M'Hale) was an industrious and thriving man, " occupying between tillage, pasture, and mountain, between 70 and 80 acres," and possessed of " sixty sheep, four cows, and two horses," besides " some stacks of barley, oats, a lock of hay, and potatoes, milk, and butter." On the contrary, he acknowledged the prisoner was " honest up to the time of this accusation ; a poor man, with a rood of ground, no sheep or cattle, and his family nearly starving." The following requires no comment :  "Solicitor—` Do you know that the prisoner, with his poor weak family, made several applications for relief to the relieving officer ?—A . •He did do so.'  "Q. ' And, notwithstanding they are starving, was he not refused? A 'He was refused.'  "Solicitor—`Now Mac Hale—and I call upon the Court to take down your answer—and I have the book of the relieving officer here—by the oaths you have here sworn, do you not get the out-door relief?—Come !—no hesitating !—answer the question.' Witness—' Ido!' " _ _  . SERIOUS v