THE EARL OF WICKLOWpresented a petition from James Toland and Elizabeth Murphy, the nearest relatives of a child who was horn in Glasgow, and whose parents were Roman Catholics, complaining of a certain decision of the Board of Supervision. They stated that the parents of the child were Roman Catholics; that the mother was dead, and that the father had enlisted in the army in 1855, and had not been heard of since. They complained that all access to the child was denied to them and to any pastor of the Roman Catholic religion, and that the child had been sent from the poor-house to a purely Protestant institution. He had presented a similar petition last year from the neighbourhood of Edinburgh; and the answer was, that the child, though only nine years of age, had no objection to being brought up a Protestant. The law of this country was that a child under fourteen years of age was incompetent to form any opinion on such a subject. The matter called for some interference, and ought to be investigated either by a Government Commissioner, or that the Poor Law Committee of the other House now sitting should be directed to extend its inquiries to Scotland. 746 It was a matter of gross hardship that a child should be subject to such treatment, and he trusted that the noble Duke, who must feel interested in the honour and integrity of his country, would aid him in abating the continuance of such an evil, if the evil existed.
THE DUKE OF ARGYLLsaid, that last Session a similar complaint was brought before the House, and he, in consequence, communicated with Sir John M'Neill on the subject. The result was that counter-statements were presented, which satisfied the House that great exaggerations had been made in the petition. If his noble Friend would communicate to him the particulars of the present case, he would again refer to Sir John M'Neill, and he was quite sure that all proper measures would be adopted. There was some difficulty in dealing with these cases in Scotland. The children were the children of parents who had practically deserted them; and if, in the present instance, the parent enlisted, and afterwards sent home no means of support for his child, nor communicated with the family, the man might be said practically to have deserted the child. In many cases it was felt to be better, on the score of health, and more economical, to bring these children up in the country; and as there were very few rural districts in Scotland where Roman Catholics could be found to take care of them, the children were necessarily put to board with persons of the Presbyterian Church. Wherever it was possible, Roman Catholic children were placed under the care of Roman Catholics, or were sent to a neighbourhood where there was a Roman Catholic priest.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, that a practical hardship had been alleged to exist in this case, and he thought that an investigation should take place. He would suggest to his noble Friend to move for a Committee after Easter. No one could more fitly preside over such a Committee than his noble Friend, who was well known for the honesty and impartiality of his opinions.