The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-02-03

TRINITY CHURCH CoRPoRArIoN.-The memorial
presented TO the Legislature, by certain portion oil
the Episcopal Church. asking that body to repeal the
law Of 1914, under which Trinity Church corpora.
ton possesses exclusive control over their i'm
mense property and revenues-equa, to $500, 600 OF
more year-is beginning to attract great deal oil
attention. The Courier and Enquirer comes GU,
strongly In favor Of the repeal on the ground thai
the present situation Of the property is a monopoly
held contrary to the original terms of the charter
or grant. We have received the following article,
which takes an entire and original view of this
question: and proposes to distribute this exclusive
property of Trinity Church, to all the Protestant
churches of this city, as the best method Of termi-
mating the present monopoly
The RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE OF New YORK
TRINITY CHURCH "A memorial, it is well known,
has been presented to the Legislature Of State,
from this city praying for repeal of the Act of 1914,
In relation to the corporation of Trinity Church
The facts, which our readerswll do well to bear in
mind, are briefly as follows BY the original charter
OF this corporation passed in 1857, all the property OF
this church is directed to be applied in the service
of God to the use and behalf of the Hotesant inLa
bl.ants of the city OF New York. The terms OF the
charter say, it is true, "the inhabitants in commu
Mon with our said Protestant Church Of England"
but every legal document Gas indeed all others)
must be construed according It's spirit and mean
ing; and in that day, as II Is well KNOWN all good
subjects who were not of the Catholic communion
were taken for granted to belong TO the Protestant
Church Of England, and were designated as such;
it therefore is clear and manifest, that by the very
terms of the charter, the Protestant citizens OF
New York city are each of them, individually and
collectively, the people, and persons who have the
right 10 direct, control, manage and order by their
voice and will the entire disposition OF the property
~ al, In eDa1
OF the corporation, and that corporation is composed
of the people OF New York, being Protestants.
Here, then, we have before. our eyes singular
spectacle and what Is it? 1t is the spectacle OF the
people of New York Invested of their rights, turned
out of their estates, and oused Of their legal due and
rights and privileges
Let us now show how this infamous crime and
robbery has been perpetrated, and when, and by
whom.
In 1914, the Legislature of New York State com
mltted this robbery upon the people OF New York
city, and passed an act, placing all the funds and
property of the Church at the power and command
Of the few pew-hoders of the building in Broad
way Such an atrocous robbery was never before
heard Of The Council of Revision protested against
1t IN vain 1t was passed-and we were robbed !!
There was no Benefits Herald at that time, or
the thieves would have trembled, and have been
exposed.
TO the point, however The memorial referred
to, IS prayer to set aside this unconstitutional law,
which the Legislature had no more right to pass
than IT had to pass law giving any number OF men
the highway. We are robbed daily by this law
Let US have our rights.
But if the charter is to be renewed, if it can be
amended and altered, we should like to see equity
ind justice regarded. This property is equitaby
due to all the Christian community OF New York
city All Of them, by their industry and labor have
helped to give il Its value, and to make it what 1t
all have, therefore, in honorand conscience, right
TO share in it, for religious uses. We say, then,
respect the old charter follow that, obey that, and
give all the Protestant people OF New York their
rights But if the charter can by any means right.
fully be amended, then follow It's true intent and
splrlt-and distribute the money as 1t ought to be
distributed, among all the Christians, of every name,
for the use and comfort OF the poor and needy For
to bless them, is true religion, and to give II 10
them, is using it truly for the genuine purposes Of
religion. SIDNEY.
There is great pausbility, equity and force in the
view advanced by !" Sidney" and the arguments he
presents. The original property Of Trinity Church,
given away in 1857, was worth little. Its present
value has been mainly created by the enterprise and
industry of the whole city of New York, in period
Of nearly two hundred years, composed of all the
Christian sects. In this country, an exclusive
church endowment is wrong in principle
in policy. Are not the other Christian sects of the
city Just much entitled, in equity and honesty,
to their share of this great property, as the other
then the great property of the Dutch Church ought
also to come under the same cstegory-and the
proper course of the Legislature would be to annul
the exclusive charters Of all these old rich corpora
tions-and diuids the schoie proceeds among all the
Christian churches Of New York, according to the
ratio OF actual saints pew-holders, and thus put
an end to all religious monopoly in property, and all
further bitter controversy among the saints. This
is decidedly the best course.
OUR NAVAL OFFICERS IN THE GULF.-ln the &C.
counts extracted from the New Orleans papers, Of
the late news from Mexico the U. s. brig Somers is
repeatedly spoken of as being commanded by Com
mander Gerry. This. we find, is incorrect. She
is and has been, for the past six months, under the
command Of Commander D. p Ingrahan and the
following is list of the officers attached to her
when she recently sailed from Pensacola for Vera
Cruz, and to whom the credit is due for having gone
to the protection of Mr. Sdel, If any have gone for
that purpose
Comman err D. p. Ingraham; LIST Lieutenant George
NJ. Whites I'd do, Edwin J. De Haven; Actg Master,
Charles NJ Faunleroy; Purser, John H. steele; Passed
Asst Surgeon John II. Wright; Mdshipmen, F. G.
Clark, George s. King.
The Somers has no marines on board, but it is
probable tina, a portion of the crew, armed, accom-
panied the officers. These officers are a fne gal
liant set of men, and in fight, in any thing else,
each one is equal to six Mexicans and half breed.
II is, therefore, very likely that they will either
cure the safety of Mr. Slidell, or produce another
revolution in Mexico
AFFAIRS IN CANADA.-The appointment of Earl
Cathcart, as Governor General Of Canada, has ex.
cited some surprise in the canadian circles" II
was said that military Governor was again to
rule in Canada.
GIN. CAzNRAU OF TEXAS, the brother-in-arms Of
the brave Lamar, is, among other distinguished WISH
tors now in the CITY for a short time lamar