The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-07
Our Albany Correspondence.


ALBANY, April 4, 1852
Tie State Treasury besciged by FERROUS Religious
Dcaor,inotions-A Combination Formed Under
tie Log Rolling System Probable Success.
The pressure upon the Legislature is unprece-
dented, at this moment, to obtain appropriations
from the State for what is termed the support of
colleges, the higher seminaries of learning. The
lobby is illed with "white neckcloths," as Senator
Pierce terms these impudent beggars. AS yet no
thing has been given, and from the scrutiny Of in
ycstgation which the various applications must re-
ceive there is strong to believe this system
of plunderng the treasury will soon cease. The
same efforts made the last session. and some
sixty thousand dollars would have been obtained
had not the niger question happily interviewed.
At preconcerted moment, whom batch Of these
bills were in favorable condition. an amendment
was offered to one Of them, appropriating large
sum-some ten thousand dollars--to an institution
inlC0rtand county, known as the McGrawville Aca-
deny, On abolition, amalgamation concern, which
has a black professor" and admits children
black and white unfortunately This proposition
was resisted by the hunkers and silver grays
with much earnestness weeks quarrel en-
sued-one party insisted that no appropriation
should be made unless this Cortland concern
had full sharethe opposite party as STORMY con-
tended to exclude it from the patrimony Of the
State--and so between them both, as neither would
yield the treasury was protected from that species
Of plumber during the last fiscal year. During this
session nothing as yet has been heard from the
NcGrawville Academy Another tack has been
taken, and an adroit movement has been on foot to
accomplish the purpose in another manner. Mr..
Conger, chairman Of the Literature Committee OF
the Senate, has reported in favor Of giving larger
approximations to what he terms literary insttu
roh IN nil lar0 har ne
called colleges and academies. The pioneer bill is
the one to assist the "Genesee College," very re-
recently graduate and now an extnguisher of
remote isolated village school, known as the Lima
Academy Of Livingston. Sixteen thousand dollars
only is wanted to endow professorships, the cree
ton Of accommodations the purchase Of works Of
science, philosophical apparatus, the salaries of
this bill, few days since, the fact appeared that
this g Genesee College, exclusively under the
patronage and jurisdiction Of the Methodist Church,
and it was at once declared that there was ground
for suspicion that it was purely theological esta
blishment and that the Legislature had no power
to aid in the building up Of one religious denomi-
nation to the exclusion of all Others. On the
too, that the State had for the last fifty years
assisted in the growth Of other denominations.
There is Columbia College, under control of the
Episcopaans; Union College, managed exclusively
by Presbyterans, and having Presbyterian clergy
man. for nearly half century, as its President and
sole financial officer; the Rochester University,
Baptist institutions; st. Johns College, Catholic
| establishment. Indeed, all the pretended "higher
institutions being under control of one the other
of the religious denominations, have received libe
raj gifts from the State-Union and Columbia their
hundreds of thousands of dollars; and after having
heretofore extended the helping hand to those classes
Of sectarians, the State should manifest partially
but grant SIG, 900 this year to Methodist school Of
theology, society which, it is conceded, numbers
among its members small portion only of sufficient
wealth to contribute from their private means.
arriy
when the State shouldhestatc awhile and see whether
this pretended class of respectable annual beggars
should not be left upon their own resources and also
ascertain Mathematician energy cannot be infused
in their managers, and sufficient talent in their 'pro
fessors" to support themselves, without constantly
knocking at the doors of the treasury of the State 1t
is reasonable that the Methodists should be assisted
as literally, and perhaps more So than either the
Presbyterians or Episeopalans but if the State
adopts one it must the whole, and then there will
be constant sectarian strife for aid, and neither
win undertake to help themselves. Rather than
that such crisis should arrive, it would be wiser
for the Legislature to refuse all further csntrbu-
tions unless 10 institutions conducted upon the prn
cipes Of the University Of Virginia, established and
endowed by Jefferson, or the college in Philadelphia
founded by Girard.
But the extensive "leg-rolling' now practsed in
the Hobbies and lodgings Of members by the white
nsckcoth gentry, SO Perseyerngly persisted in, will
are pressing their appliances, and il is found that
several members who have heretofore stood septnels
at the doors of the treasury may desert their post
and allow these bills to pass The Western. mem
bers are determined to vote for every application
west of Utiea-contending, and with much justice
too. that the Southern aad Eastern sections Of the
State has drawn its millions from the treasury for
the purposes of education. while the Western por-
ton has been entirely neglected. The West is now
reaching unto manhood, and possesses strength and
power-consequently its voice must be heard. and
its demands recognized. IN the face Of this, how
ever the members of the Legislature must recollect
that the greatest income OF the State is pledged fer
twenty years to bondholders.