One cannot do Justice to Mr. Dignam Bailey's argument, when after
lunch he rose to reply. He was logical and passionate,
vindictive and pathetic by turns. He inveighed against the Lady
Superior, against her attorneys, against Father Certificatus,
against Ginx,--"craven to his heaven-born rights of political and
religious freedom,"-- against the Roman Catholic religion, the
Pope, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Virgin Mary. The Court
knew, and every one else knew, that this was pure pyrotechny, and
Mr. Bailey knew that best of all; but, though the Bench is swift
to speak, slow to hear, it felt obliged, in a case of this public
interest, to sit by, and be witnesses of the exhibition. Mr.
Bailey concluded by a play on the aphorism cited by his learned
friend. "He would say that if such justice were to be done, as
his friend had urged, the Kingdom of Heaven in England would rush
to its fall."
The Court at once decided that, as the father had confided the
custody of the infant to the Sisters of Misery, and did not
appear to desire that it should be withdrawn, they, disregarding
the religious clouds in which the subject had been too carefully
involved on both sides, gave judgment for the defendant, with
costs.
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