Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-05-09
FIN AuEAD

heid aeout 80, ,O00, ,OG0 of property in his own
right, and urged this as one reason why the bill
should pass. Ia reply to this speech the Arch
bishop wrote long letter in which ne makes a
proposition, by way of denial, that if Mr..
Brooks statement is true, he will take 81 900,
coo Of that sum and appropriate it as follows: :
soc, Geo 10 erect a building for public libra
ryi 81 ,0G0 900 to be expended in books and
furnishing the same, and the 5000, GOO remain
ing to te invested for the support and perpe-
tuity OF the establishment. Mr.. Brooks accepts
the letter ia letter to the Courier & Enquirer,
in which paper Archbishop Hughes letter first
appeared. The following is Brooks letter: =
ARCHBISHOP HuGHEs, SENATOR BRooRs, AND A
QUESTION OF YERACITY.
To The Editors Of the II. 7. Courier 6 Eaqui-
rer:-Fron the pressure OF official duties at
Albany. up TO q late hour on Saturday evening,
1 have only tlis moment been able to give a
full pcruSai TO the letter signed 81 John, Arch
bishop OF y New York; i'll reply to speech of
mine delivered in the Senate on the 9Th OF
March last. / write now, not to answer the
question of reracity between the Archbishop
and myself, and not 20 comment upon the pc
cuiiar temper and language of the Archbish-
ops eristle.-but to say that accept and de-
mand, in behalf of the city and the public,
and il, perfect good faith,-if the promise was
made in perfect good faith,-the offer OF that
Public Il: rary which is rendered in my name,
'inot fer the use of any one profession or
class Of men. tut for all mankind"
AS condition of this pledge, am to show
that Archbishop Hughes is, or was, on the 9th
of March last, the owner, in his own name,
and in this city, OF large amount Of Real
Estate and 10 show also, that this Property
is. Or vas upon the record, legally his own, to
dispose of by assignment by will, or other
wise. as he may or mis- ght direct
| assume, notwithstanding the reasons for
believing otherwise, that in making his Offer,
the Archbishop does net mean TO conceal the
truth, omit the truth, or to resort to any sub
terfuge whatever | assume, too, that he
agrees with ne that the true definition of a lie
is an .'imtention to dcceive,'' and that he also
agrees with the nortiSt, VIM. Paley, WHO
lays it down as an axiom. that one may state
rncty-nine facts. aad yet not utter the whole
truth, because one truth added would change
the whole basis Of the ninety-uine facts
On this presumption / shall maintain, at my
earliest leisure, the spirit, substance and real
ity Of all that was asserted by me in the speech
nowin controversy upon the subject of Church
Property in this city. And in order that this
question may be met fairly at the start. and in
order that the City of New York may eput in
possession of the promised Public Library,
propose, preliminary to all public controver-
sy. that one arbitrator shall be named by Arch
bishop Hughes, one by myself, and that the
two thus selected. shall Jointly elect third,
whose duty il shall be to decide. not merely
whether have stated the truth, or whether
Archbishop Hughes has equivocated or omit
ted the truth, bat also upon the claim of New
Yori, City TO that Public Library. in which
shall hereafter feel so deep an interest. | am
ready tor the arbitration, and SHALL be ready
with my facts. Very respectfully,
EE.srUs BEooKs-
Bishop Hughes responded to this in letter,
from which quote the following
..Senator Brooks thinks he has discovered q
way Of twisting ont OF the awkward position in
to which lie rushed with eyes open AMI m .l.c.
prcpcnse. He proposes an arbitration, forsooth.
With what a show OF artlessnesS he attempts
to eyade the rect issue of veracity involved iii
the controversy, :Hc,r, OF my own knowledge,
that il three statements above referred 20, Sena
tor Brooks has taken as great liberty with truth
as If he hai said mat two and two make seven.
'Arbitrit0a is unnecessary. If | am the
owner of whole squares OF ground, Mr.. Brooks
can SHOW from the records Of the city, or indi-
cate BY physical inspection where they are. If
ne fi;ls 10 do this, while his proofs, if he has
any, are 50 unicniahlc and SO within his reach,
then the public will not fail to perceive that
Mr.. Braos5 in his place as Senator has made a
statement which is false. and was intended to
bc injurious. So II l received any conveyance
OF property from trustees, the records cited by
Mr.. Brooks in the Senate will bear him out
II he fails to produce those records, then tie
hood, and will not be slow in coming to the con-
CiuSion that Senator Brooks is-What lie is"
Mr.. Brooks has in another letter undertaken
TO prove his statement. After some pretty caUS
tic characteristic but not i'll tempered remarks
nc states his purpose aud meaning as follows:
s.What I meant and mean by the ownership
Of real-cstate, is what the Law means by ii, and
therefore, we can have no misunderstanding Of
ideas. | mean that the legal title is vested IN
In ,IrIrr hos I l,I- JOh I-n
Archbishop of New York. mean by .owner-
ship OF reai-estate, the legal right to CONTROL.
possess and Use it-by assignment, by WILL or
otherwise. ! mean, that if the Archbishop
John Hughes, were to die without a will or to
change his faith, or should choose TO dispose
of his property to his own heirs. or for his per-
sonal advantage, that he las the legal power
to do so, at his own good will ana pleasure. l
mean, that, in tact and in act, by the Baltimore
Ordinances Of lSt9 and 1852, by prior claim
and subsequent discrimination, he and other
Archbishops and Bishops, own, assume. control
aud direct the Temperatures of the Church, It's
lands, its estates and ITS entire property. j
mean, speaking now after an examination Of
legal records and indentures, that the convey
ances to the Archbishop are 10 him, has heirs,
or GSsilaess' and no others. | mean, of course,
also, that no trust is specified in the deed, and
that the conpey yances, without such specitica-
tion Oi trust, would, IN case Of his death, gotO
the next OF kin. think I am understood and
thl; no one will accuse me Of seeking loop
hole of escape. or with any desire 10 occupy IN
equivoed position.''
e;Now for the record, in part"
Here follow copies of eleven records OF con-
veyance, absolute and exclusive, in favor OF
John HGghes.' and to all appearance they are
actual title deeds Of valuable property amount
ing in all to upwards Of 1925 900, which, Mr..
Brooks says is Only the beginning of the end.
Under this explicit statement the Archbish-
Gnds NJ last that Il Is him sntf 1shn is in the