Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-30

Common neutrality-suspicious. OF the Ca
thofics.
There was special meeting Of the Board of AL
dermen last evening, to hear the discussion of the
Catholic claim. for portion Of the School Fund.
Of the Methodists and the Common School Society
were read.
Bishop Hughes then addressed the board in behalf
OF the Catholics.
{" have never allowed myself said he, "nor
have permitted others, so far my influence is
concerned, toimpute improper motives to those who
are opposed TO us in this matter. The arguments
in the remonstrance go upon the false assumption
that want the money for the promotion of eccls-
sisstical interests. IL the remonstrants had made
themselves acquainted with the nature OF apli-
cation, they would have been saved the necessity of
combating fgments Of their own creation, and not
any proposition Of ours"
His Reverence spoke for upwards Of two hours,
end was listened to with earnest attention. He re-
eapitulat-d and enforced the arguments which had
before been adduced to prove the justice ofthe Cath
Ole claims. The tendency to produce practical it,
fidelity ofthe present Of instruction, the OBJ
jectionable prejudice against the Catholic faith,
which the reading lessons were calculated to pro-
duce and the distorted historical facts to excite ha
tired against ancient religion, which made the
daily study Of the infant scholars in the public
schools, were amply discussed.
The question, said the Bishop, when stript Of all
the mysti6cation in which the opponents of the
petition had sought to involve il. was exceedingly
simple II resolved itself into this whether the in
tenton OF the Legislature Of the State Of New York
was, fix the inhabitants of this city, and to sup.
port it by taxation reaching every citizen, system
II education OF which enc fifth of the population
ccsld not avail itself and, this system was to be
constituted, they found TO be- so that Catho-
lies could not in heir censcences, allow their chill
dren to participate in its benefits then were they ex
Guided not by an act Of the Legislature and did
the Legislature intend that they should nav for a
system Of education and receive no benefit in re-
tnr,l
The Bishop contended that a merely civil and se-
cnlAr education without re yon, for the
wants Of the community; and if all religion were ex
c,sded, the children were brought up like hca,hcns
Asd inhdels wsald derive the benefits which were
intended for all Catholics did not expect tina, these
schools should teach the dogmas Of Catholicism but
they did object to system by which eli that wa,
good was extinguished in the process, and by which
the child OF the Catholic parent would lose his reIi-
Eious Impressions before he got am education.
al" said the Bishop, in Commenting on the re-
neastr.nce Of the Methodiss they are not satisfied
with our purgatory, they msy 70 further, and ae-
eording to the prsverb, fare worse"
Mr.. Theodore Sedgwiek followed the Bishop. in
behalf Of the Trustees Of the Common School, and
spoke for two hours. Mr.. S. Insisted that the OBJ
jeet ofthe legislature in establishing the school fund
wa to ensure to ev;:-v child . Food elementary
edueaticn, because republic can only be maintain
cd by the Intelligence Of the reore-and this apart
rrem the strife OF seetArianisn, which had deiaged
EsroPe with blcod-leaving TO the parent or pastor
the religious teaching OF their own children, and he
argucd against the petition, the ground that the
wise mentions of the legislature would be thwsrt-
I'd by the concession, Of " sprayer.
Mr.. Hiram Ketehsm followed, on the same side
and spoke for hour aad a half In re,ly 10 the
digestion cf the Rishop. that religion Was taught in
the schools, Mr. X. insisted that the objection vas
mot we'll taken True, seriPtur,l lessons we're real
bat they were such as iseuicsted q pure and sound
morality, in which all see,s agreed Mr. X. closed
Nth beautiful tribute to the value Of the Bible.
IN civil eoaxunrt,, Snd asked whether IL could
be safely discarded frc:.sn our p~bi,e schools.
e Bishop then very briefly replied in exPlspa
fion Of certain points in the speeches the opro.
cite side and, after q few words Of explanation
fr.u Mr.. Mott, one -f the Common School society
the debate was adjourned until this evening at four
s'cisck, when IL will be resumed by DR. Boyd on the
mart Of the Mctbodists.