Litchfield enquirer., 1842-04-21
From the ". Y. Express.
TIE CATHOLIC TRIUMPH OVER THE
PROTESTANT SCHOOLS.

l.
PROTESTANT SCHOOLS.
Bishop Hughes, it will be seen by the Le- |
gislative Reports from Albany, has carried q
point, the Governor, the Senate, and the
House concurrng. In the Senate, the bill
was carried by but one vote, the two Wing
Senators frtm this District, and MIR. Varian,
our EX- Mayor, voting against the bill, and
MIR. Scot, Tue other Senator from this Dis
trict, not u0iUig at all!
The Catholic triumph may be considered
the first victory tn Y have achieved in the
Anglo Saxon part of The New World. In
Mexico and South America, the learned and
powerful Jesuits long ago led in triumph the
banner of the Pope of Rome, but here is
triumph over the Puritan and the Church of
England too, over the Holander also, and
indet over all Protestants en- masSs.
! Bishop Hughes, we have been careful to
say, has carried point. He has not carried
the point, but has carried a great point new
erthelesS. He has established his po,cer IN the
Stale. Both parties have been compelled to
bow to the Hierarchy of Rome. He has got
a wedge in, and if he drives it with his usual
skill, the point is his very soon.
| AS We understand the Bill that has become
Law, it opens our Public Schools to the
strife of parties, political and religious
There is to be an annual election of certain
|
! inattentiOn of a business city To its Public
Schools, upon ii special election, the Church
OF Rome with its great power of concentrated
and direct action, cannot carry its points, its
Priests can threaten their $4,000 Catholic
population for another move ON the political
board.
The Bill too creates Commissioners, In.
spectors and Trustees and Central Board
of Education. The Commissioners and In
spectors are to be paid for their actual and
reasonable expenses, which, under the practice
of this city, is the dearest way in the world
of paying public officers. The Central
Board of Education is to overlook the
schools. The teaching of Sectarian doctrine
is expressly prohibited, but new schools can
be created, the Trustees certifying the neces- I
sity thereof, and the Commissioners and In. |
spcctors concurring.
That Bishop Hughes has succeeded in sub !
jecting the Public Schools to the test of the |
elections, and to the power of great variety |
of political officers, but he has not carried |
the point of having Sectarian Catholic
Schools established by law. The Catholic,
however, never owns that his is the reig on !
of sect. is universal. 1t is Catholic
Thus even that obstruction, this ingenuity of !
the Bishop may Surmount. And he can have |
new schools too, and these new schools will |
dren, SO that there may be begun here as in J
Ireland these unhappy differences of edu-
cation, which inAane the minds of youth, !
and make that unfortunate country the scene |
of arson, murder, rapine and riot.
Now to create this new system, let us look |
at the old which the Legislature have SUBJ
verted, in spiteaof rcmonstrance of q, 900
of its citizens, who sent their names to Alba.
ny ,oritten ,ouh their own hands But first lie: |
us ask, what harm has the Public School So
ciety done, that it should be thus rudely
dealt with Has the Common Council been
dissatisfied! No. Have ANY but the Cath
olics of the city complained I? Again we an.
swer no. Are not the children of the city
well and cheaply educated! We all know
there are no better public schools, and fig.
ures establish the fact, that it costs less 10 Ell.
ucate the scholar under our system than un-
der any other in our vicinity. There was
then no reason for this change and sihe |
change was made but for political purposes.
ALEXANDER PowELL.-The nomination of
this notorious individual as u s. Consul to
Rio Janerio, has been matter of much sur
prise and remark. 1t is said that the Presi.
dent was induced to make the nomination
(Which was confirmed by the Senate) by
the joint recommendation of Mr. Green, tho
late Van Buren, Post Master at Boston, and
Senator Choate, of Massachusetts. On learn
ing the true character of Powell, President
Tyler promptly withdrew the nomination,
and sent special Message to the Senate on
the subject. correspondent Offhe Courier
u Enquirer gives the following precious ac-
count of him
Alexander Powell was born in the State of
Vermont, and is connected with several fam
lilies of responsibility ut the Eost-among
others, with that OF Senator Choate. After
spending a youth OF Incidence and debauch.
cry at his native place, he went to the South.
His parents were poor, bu; the country of his
birth offers ample means Of education 10 the
poorest Of these opportunities he never
avallcd himself, and 10 this day is illiterate
in the extreme. After his departure from
Vermont but little was heard of him. From
time to time he would visit his native town,
generally bringing with him jewelry to a
large amount and apparently in the possess
ION OF ample means. AT one of these visits
he addressed and married lady of consider.
able PERSONAL attractions.
l cannot undertake to follow this man
through ms various wanderings and adven-
lures. Suffice it to say, that he IL reported
to have been at different times the agent for
gambling establishments ut New York, New
Orleans, and Galveston in Texas-the two
last OF which places he left in disgrace. Du.
ring the career ofthe celebrated Col. Monroe
Edwards. this man Powell was his compan-
ion and confidential friend. he was with
him 10 England aud in this city prior to Ed.
wards arrest. At the time OF burning the
Treasury building. Powell was Temporary
clerk IN Inc ONCE, and was implicated with